AS Carl Linnaeus was crossing Putney Heath in London in 1736, the botanist’s eyes alighted on a prickly bush. Asking his coach to stop, he jumped out, fell to his knees, and wept at the sight of the golden flowers, which he had been (unsuccessfully) trying to cultivate in his greenhouse in Uppsala, Sweden. Gorse might not usually provoke such an emotional reaction, but its ability to light up the winter gloom is unrivalled.
Common gorse (Ulex europaeus) starts to flower in January and appears to flower all year—hence the old country saying ‘When gorse is out of bloom, kissing is out of season—but this is actually a botanical illusion.
There are three species of gorse and, when common gorse finishes flowering in June, western gorse (Ulex gallii) or, in the South- East of England, dwarf gorse (Ulex minor) take up the torch from July to November. The result is a strong chance that, at any time of the year, at least one species of gorse will be in flower.
Gorse is a member of the pea family (Fabaceae) and is able to manufacture its own nitrogen through its root nodules. This allows it to live happily on low-nutrient soils and its name derives from the Anglo-Saxon Gorst, meaning waste—a reference to its prevalence on heathland. Among its local names are furze, as it’s known in the New Forest and Exmoor, whin in Scotland and Cumbria and, on the upland areas of Devon, where it can turn whole hillsides yellow, it has assumed the delightful nickname of Dartmoor custard. Wherever it grows, the delicious dollops of flowers dominate the landscape. This is particularly true in the Quantock Hills in Somerset, where western gorse weaves among purple heather to create a dazzling carpet.
Preceding pages: Gorse in its glory engulfs the hills of the Pembrokeshire coast. Above: Sheets of silk created by the red gorse spider mite, dew-spangled like fairy gossamer
Denne historien er fra February 03, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra February 03, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
