Pussy Willow: Everything You Need To Know

For all its frosty walks, cosy fireplaces and hearty comfort food, I think every one of us reaches a point when we’ve just about had enough of Winter. My own seasonal epiphany came to me this morning as I tried to smash the ice on the pond for the fifth consecutive day in a row. The broom handle barely chipped the surface - a hefty Birch log fared little better. Finally, I had no option but to dig the sledgehammer out of the shed. As the ice shattered into thick chunks and slapped about on the surface, my hands burned with cold and I thought to myself, “I am so ready for Spring”.

There is hope - signs that warmer times are on the way. I have an early Spring checklist; tick off all three and you know that you’re pretty much on the home straight. First up is Mr Toad. The Common Toad (Bufo bufo) has been known to stir from hibernation as early as Valentine’s Day, upon which it rather appropriately makes its way to the nearest pond to find a mate. The mating call of Common Toads in the night air is a true harbinger of Spring.

Around this time you are also likely to find Sweet Violet (Viola odorata) in bloom - a delicate, shade-loving perennial that flowers weeks before many other wild plants have even poked their heads above ground. The flowers are deeply fragrant, edible and can be used in the kitchen.

Finally, from around late February onwards (sometimes earlier, depending on the weather), I catch sight of furry grey catkins in the woods and field margins - a surefire indicator that Male Pussy Willows are in bud.