From longer days, leafy green canopies to the wonderful birdsong of the dawn chorus, May must be the most beautiful springtime month and offers so much for us nature lovers to explore and experience.

In the Woods this Month

Hawthorn: Bountiful blossom & fascinating folklore

Also known as May Thorn or May Blossom, the wonderful hawthorn offers a joyful display of blossom in hedgerows and woodland edges this month. It’s a tree that often features in my paintings, from Wrens with spring blossom to Nuthatches nestled in autumn berries!

Hawthorn is not only beautiful, it’s a tree steeped in folklore and tradition. The blossom was often used in garlands for May Day celebrations… yet superstition prevented folk from bringing the branches inside the home as it was thought illness would follow. Other superstition states that if you fall asleep beneath a hawthorn tree you’ll likely be taken away by the fairy folk… while cutting down a lone hawthorn is thought to be a risky endeavour and may result in an unhappy end for you!

Dawn Chorus: A springtime symphony

This month the dawn chorus is at it’s peak, go outside or throw open the windows as the sun rises and you’ll be met with a wonderful symphony of birdsong. Robins, thrushes and blackbirds are the first to perform their song, joined by many other birds as the sun rises.

My favourite place to hear the dawn chorus is out in the woods (perhaps unsurprisingly!). First thing in the morning the forest feels truly alive and you feel totally immersed in birdsong, I would highly recommend this to any nature lover! If you want to make the most of the dawn chorus the RSPB has shared some top tips here.

A Little Nature Connection

An app to try: Merlin

This is a very handy app which lets you identify birds, either by sight or by song, it’s one that I very often use while out in the woods.

It’s perfect for both novices and more experienced birders alike. The identification by sound feature is especially fun to use at this time of year while birds are more active and the dawn chorus is in full swing.

In the Studio this Month

A new collection is coming soon...

This month I’m working on my new Summer Original Art collection.

This collection will explore the hidden wonders and enchanting moments found in a summer woodland, offering a series of one-of-a-kind paintings to bring a little summertime enchantment to your home.

These new paintings will be available first to those on the collector's waitlist, who can also enjoy £25 to spend when the collection is released.

Imagine a summer-time forest. Birdsong welcomes us wanderers beneath leafy green trees, which offer dappled shade to mosses, ferns and ivy below. Honeysuckle, bramble and wild rose tangle and clamber along the edges of a woodland path, inviting moths, bees and beautiful butterflies to dance in the hazy air around us...

If you'd like to join the waitlist, sign up here.

Art Print of the Month

Long-tailed Tits

This month I’d love to share one of my most-loved art prints, Long-tailed Tits. Originally painted in gouache, these four sweet birds are nestled in blossoming rowan and flowering bramble against a forest green background.

Find the Long-tailed Tit art print here