The May blossom is out in Market Harborough

One of the glories of the Leicestershire countryside are the drifts of white blossom you see in the hedgerows at this time of year.

It reaches the fringes of the towns too. I took these photographs close to my home - an area, to be fair to another fine county, that was originally in Northamptonshire.

'May blossom' is properly hawthorn blossom - the hawthorn is also known as the 'may tree' - and that explains the slightly puzzling saying: "Ne'er cast a clout till May be out."

Puzzling, because it sounds so cautious. The latter weeks of May can be very pleasant. Surely you can start dressing less warmly by then?

In fact you can, because the saying refers to the may blossom being out. That begins to happen at the end of April and makes it a more reasonable rule.