There’s a little corner of the garden where the brambles grow wild, and the moss stays damp beneath their tangled weave all year long. From the thorny branches, the juiciest blackberries appear as if from nowhere, ripening like clockwork. This year, there’s an abundance of them. "Usually a sign of a harsh winter ahead", my Grandma used to say.
If you head out into the garden early enough, just as the first rays of sunshine peek over the hills, you might catch a glimpse of two very tired little friends, finally making their way home through a small archway in the brambles.
They’ve been up all night, scurrying back and forth, gathering the last of the season’s blackberries before the frost arrives.
Root, with a tiny pan perched upon his head, carries his precious harvest, one blackberry at a time, in a little basket woven from grass. He has grand plans for these berries. Once he’s had a well earned rest, he’ll be stirring them into a bubbling pot of sweet blackberry jam, ready to be stored away for winter.
Beside him is Bramble, who has been rather more ambitious with his gathering. Not content with a basketful, he’s collected entire branches laden with berries, along with the thorniest twigs he could find. The berries will help keep his tummy full when the snow comes, while the thorny branches will be woven into his nest to keep him safe and snug.
And so, as the morning dew begins to glisten in the sunlight and the morning chorus begins to call, Bramble and Root disappear into the garden wall, their harvest carefully gathered and their winter preparations well underway.
FYI Glass Cloche NOT Included