May in the Garden — and the Magic of Hawthorn
May is a glorious month in the garden — full of promise, colour, and life. With longer days and rising warmth, there’s plenty to do: sow tender annuals, plant out dahlias, and hoe weeds before they set seed. Slugs and snails are particularly active now, so protect young plants. And while the lawnmower may be calling, consider joining the No Mow May movement — consider leaving a small part of your lawn uncut to support bees and other pollinators.
Beyond the jobs list, May brings the hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) into bloom. This spiny native tree froths through the hedgerows with creamy white flowers and a musky, unforgettable scent. Beloved by bees and steeped in folklore, hawthorn is the true tree of May — and likely the root of the old saying, “Ne’er cast a clout till May is out.” The phrase warns not to shed your warm layers until the hawthorn blossom is out — not just the month — a nod to the unpredictability of British spring.
In folklore, hawthorn was sacred to the fairy realm, marking thresholds, crossroads, and wells. A lone tree was often a fairy tree, never to be cut, and bringing blossom indoors was said to invite misfortune.
It was also a symbol of fertility and protection, central to May Day celebrations. So when you have tended to your garden, take a walk up Strawberry Hill, find some hawthorn: breathe in its wild scent and honour its magic.