May Blossom

 You can guess what month Hawthorn flowers from its common moniker, May Blossom. This year's display of flowers has been spectacular, especially in hedgerows where hawthorn is a dominant species.

I took these pictures on my way home from a citizen science outing after testing the Yazor Brook adjacent to the Environmental Gauging Station mentioned at the start of this guided walk. This popular and well-used walking/cycling route has benefited from ongoing improvements to the area in the form of the Yazor Brooks Restoration Project.

Photo 1: May Blossom near Bulmers, Hereford (9th May 2025)

Cow parsley is also in full flower at this time of the year, often seen along the verges of country lanes.

Photo 2: Cow Parsley along the Cycle Path 

Along this particular route, however, there are fields of it covering the floodplain of the Yazor Brook ...

Photo 3: Fields of Cow Parsley on the Yazor Brook Floodplain

It has been allowed to spread in an urban environment as the floodplain is unsuitable for building. No doubt its existence will be threatened someday by the inexorable desire of humankind to tidy up nature. 

Photo 4: Pathway to Cow Parsley Heaven?

On a perfect Spring day, nature has crafted a beautiful urban landscape ...

Photo 5: Hawthorn and Cow Parsley, Yazor Brook, Hereford (9th May 2025)

Only a couple of hundred metres away from this nature idyll is the sprawling industrial complex that includes Avara Foods and Heineken (formerly Bulmers Cider). Avara Foods (purveyors of chicken, turkey and duck products to supermarkets/restaurants) are considered one of the 'bad guys' with regards to the pollution of the River Wye and one of the reasons we need citizen scientists to monitor river quality. Unfortunately, Avara is part of the Cargill US conglomerate and they do not have a good record of environmental protection in their home country. There is no getting away from the fact that Avara is a major employer in Herefordshire and that it produces cheap protein-rich food (an important consideration in a cost-of-living crisis). The main issue is with the intensive poultry farms and how they dispose of the high phosphorus waste. Avara have stated that none of their poultry waste will be spread on land in Herefordshire which is a good start. Unfortunately, their preferred disposal route is via anaerobic digestion and there are environmental issues with this process.