Blackthorn Blossom on Two Tree Island

As winter loosens its grip, the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is one of the first trees to awaken, its stark, spiny branches suddenly adorned with delicate white flowers. Walking through the hedgerows on Two Tree Island, I’ve begun to notice these blossoms emerging—tiny, star-like flowers against the still-bare wood, a sure sign that spring is unfolding before us.

Blackthorn has the most beautiful delicate blossom.

Blackthorn is a tree of contrasts: it's early flowers arrive before its leaves, offering an ethereal brightness against the darker, twisting thorns that will later bear deep purple sloes in autumn. This contrast has made it a symbol of both hope and hardship. It is said that Blackthorn represents the 'balance of light and dark, winter and spring, reminding us that renewal often follows adversity'.

For wildlife, Blackthorn is an essential presence. The early blossoms provide a rich source of nectar for bees and other pollinators emerging from their winter sleep. Later in the year, it's dense thickets offer nesting sites for birds, while it's berries sustain thrushes and blackbirds through the colder months.

In folklore, Blackthorn has a mysterious reputation, often associated with witches and faerie realms. Blackthorn wood is believed to hold protective powers (the infamous ‘witches’ blackthorn staff’) and in Celtic tradition, it was seen as a guardian tree, standing sentinel over boundaries and wild places.

As I stand by a hedgerow, watching a flurry of petals catch the breeze, I’m reminded that Blackthorn is a herald of spring, quietly symbolising the procession of the seasons.

So how does this sight impact my art?

I find the sight of Blackthorn blossom magical and awe-inspiring after the long Winter, I often pick stems to bring home and arrange in vases in the studio. I'm currently working on a series of paintings- both on canvas and paper, each one representing the months of the year and how they are echoed through nature. For March, I've already created a painting called 'Birdsong' which is very neutral in tones with hints of yellow to suggest the warmer air, it also contains filckers of cream and dancing lines of graphite to reflect the sounds of the hedgerows. For my paper piece, however, I'm going to use the blackthorn blossom as inspiration- using carbon black ink on white paper and hawthorn twigs as drawing tools, reminiscent of my work from 2022. I hope to update this blog with my progress as this work takes shape.