Blossom watch

There are many types of willow, with some appearing in January, but it’s the goat willow with the clouds of yellow catkins that stand out in March and April. It's often found in damp woodland or near streams and ditches. The grey-brown bark becomes marked over time by diamond-shaped fissures called ‘lenticels’ and the twigs glow red-yellow in winter sunlight.

Blackthorn is one of the first shrubs to burst into flower in March. The white blossom appears before the leaves. The tree is short with smooth, dark brown bark and found in hedgerows and scrub in full sun. The tree lasts up to 100 years and was traditionally used for making walking sticks or shillelaghs in Ireland.

Many garden varieties are of Japanese origin, known as the Sakura or Village Cherries. The British Isles has just two native species: bird cherry and wild cherry or gean. Wild cherry is often seen in woodlands where its brilliant flowers light up the canopy. Cherry blossom is best seen during March, April and some varieties in May.

Apple blossom appears from March-April and is white with a hint of pink. It grows in hedgerows, gardens, orchards and scrubland in moist, heavy soil. It's a short tree with greyish-brown flecked bark and a gnarled ('crabbed') shape. Crab apple trees often indicate past human habitation – the apples can be used in cooking and the wood is good for carving and firewood.

Pear trees were introduced to Britain from southern Europe in around AD 995. The trees were popular for their bountiful fruit and beautiful spring blossom. The flowers are white and delicate and emerge from green buds in March or April. While truly wild pear trees are very rare, you'll see domestic varieties in gardens and orchards or lining the streets.

Plum trees, thought to have come from a cross between blackthorn and cherry plum, are not only seen in gardens and orchards but also in hedges and areas of scrubland, where plum stones may have been dropped. The flowers are white with five petals and normally bloom in mid-spring, around March and April.

Damson comes from the word 'damascene', which originates in the Latin name 'Plum of Damascus'. Damson trees are thought to have been growing around the Syrian city since ancient times, and were brought to England by the Romans. The trees are small and hardy with leaves covered by a fine down on both sides. They blossom with small white flowers in early April.

The fragrant pinkish-white flowers appear in April and May, so it's also known as May flower. It is often found in hedgerows, woodland edges and scrubland. Hawthorn wood is hard and very finely grained and in the past was used for making cabinets, boxes and tool handles. It also makes good firewood and charcoal.

The clusters of cream Elderflowers appear in late May and June, and the trees they bloom on can be found in woodland, scrub and hedgerows. The bark is grey-brown with a corky furrowed texture. It's thought that the name 'elderflower' comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'aeld', meaning fire. The hollow stems were used to blow air into the centre of a fire.

As part of our work to encourage wildlife, we’re planting 68 new orchards on sites in England and Wales by 2025. Traditional orchards are great for wildlife — the trees are planted further apart and wildflowers are often grown underneath them to encourage pollinators to pollinate blossom when the trees flower in spring.

An abundance of wildlife thrives on blossom. Bees seek pollen from wild cherry and apple blossoms. Caterpillars and butterflies love the leaves of goat willow and elderflower blossoms. Song thrushes and blackbirds eat the fruit produced by the trees and hunt for insects among the blossom. Badgers, mice, voles and foxes eat the fruit that falls to the ground.