Gorse

Today's the day …………………… to kiss your beloved

The countryside would be a different place without this spiny evergreen shrub with its bright yellow flowers.

Few plants make such an impact on the landscape as flowering gorse, through both its colour and scent - a distinctive coconut and vanilla smell. The cracking of the seed-pods in hot sunshine is said to sound similar to the clacking calls of stonechats which perch on its sprigs. 

Apparently it's also said that you should only kiss your beloved when gorse is in flower. The good news is that gorse is pretty much in bloom whatever the time of year. In fact, a few yellow flowers can generally be seen even in harsh winter months.  Its peak time, however, is April and May when almost all the plant is covered in bright yellow blossom.

But even today, it was doing its best to cheer up a pretty miserable sort of a day ………………………….