May! Where did you come from? I can’t believe that we’re in the fifth month of the year – time is flying. There’s so much to enjoy about this month, but I’ve managed to restrict myself to five ways to savour the very best things about late Spring in my latest Seasons of Rosie post. It is – entirely reasonably, in my opinion – an extremely flower-packed edition. I love this time of year as so many favourite blooms come into season and my morning walk to work becomes a game of spot-the-lilac, and takes almost twice as long while stopping to snap the clematis archways. I’m also attending a Bloomon x Anthropologie flower arranging course tomorrow so watch this space and my Instagram for further floral inspiration!
1) Enjoy the last of the cherry blossoms. In Edinburgh, petals are falling like confetti and lining the streets with joyful pink. Every year the beauty of these ephemeral blooms stops me in my tracks and I’ve made constant excuses to pass through the cherry tree-lined paths of the Meadows. Of course, I couldn’t resist snapping my suitably pink outfit to accompany this post; something of an annual tradition on Everything Looks Rosie. I debuted my new blush pink leather jacket from M&S – a lovely trans-seasonal piece that just happens to tone in perfectly with nature’s May colour palette – and vintage plaid dress. We also enjoyed a cherry blossom picnic last weekend, with a flask of tea, homemade bread and cake in the sunshine. I would thoroughly recommend it. Just watch out for petals in your tea!
2) Make and give a seasonal posy. The Pagan May Day tradition of leaving a small posy of flowers on the doorstep of friends and neighbours to celebrate Spring is a delightful one, and one I think we should continue throughout May! A simple posy is easy to create from a wee handful of foraged blooms: gather small Spring flowers, cross the stems over, moving and twisting them until you’re happy with the shape, tie with a piece of twine and pop in a small jam jar. Lou of Little Green Shed revived the tradition last year; share your posies like me with the tag #maydayposies on Instagram.
3) Make the most of Spring produce. Hooray for asparagus! I can’t get enough of the stuff when the British veg is in season – a short but deliciously sweet period that also coincides with Jersey Royals. A match made in heaven if you ask me. I’m also enjoying foraging for wild garlic, which is coming to the end of its season. Just a few small leaves will elevate an everyday pesto into something glorious; we had ours with homemade gnocchi.
4) Sow, sow sow. With the Earth beginning to warm, it’s time to start seriously planning your planting. I’ve still got my name down for an allotment in Edinburgh (seven years and counting…) so I won’t be sowing seeds directly into the Earth any time soon, but I am going to attempt windowsill strawberries again and maybe try a grow-bag or two in our wee communal patch. Any tips or recommendations?!
5) Seek out your local bluebell wood. It’s my absolute favourite time of year in the woodlands, as the forest floor comes alive with a carpet of bluebells before the canopy obscures the light once again. We went on a bluebell hunt last weekend and weren’t disappointed with our find – more pictures soon. Again, the season is short but sweet so make the most of it while you can. You can take part in the Big Bluebell Watch to help track the iconic wildflowers with the Woodland Trust here.
What are you planning this month?
What I’m wearing: M&S jacket; vintage dress; boots c/o Boden; vintage accessories; bag c/o the Cambridge Satchel Co.