An almanac of things to see and do in Nature in April

Welcome April (Almanac 2024)

Sue Cartwright • 1 April 2024

A summary of things to watch out for and enjoy in Nature through April

Welcome April (Almanac 2024) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

At the beginning of April our woodlands, hedgerows and gardens burst into life in an abundance of flower buds, opening bulbs and fresh new leaves. In the early morning the Dawn Chorus is in full swing as Dandelions, Buttercups and Daisies adorn lawns, fields and verges with their brilliant splashes of gold.

April comes from the words 'Aprilis' (Latin), 'Aperto' (Italian) or 'Aperire' (Roman) meaning to open up. In history, it is recorded that April came before January and February and was the second month of the Roman calendar year with March being the first. In the 16th Century, when the Gregorian Calendar came into effect, April became the fourth month of the year following January, February and March.

April is notable for its Easter celebrations. This is a movable feast which varies every year. Easter fell on April 17 in 2022, 9 April in 2023 and 31 March this year. In Ancient Rome the month of April was sacred to Venus, Goddess of love. In Scotland, the ancient Celtic ritual to ring in Summer is celebrated at the Edinburgh Beltane Fire Festival and has been since 1988.

April continues to bring new shoots appearing on bare branches as fern crosiers start to unfurl and bulbs burst from their snug beds of Winter soil. Our days are brightened by their colourful flowers which include many varieties of Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinths and Fritillaries. This is the time to sow seeds of herbs under glass such as Basil, Chives and Parsley and, as soil conditions allow, seeds of Chervil, Coriander and Dill can be sown directly into the soil outdoors.

In the hedgerows, look out for the constant traffic of nest-building birds such as Chaffinches, Great Tits, Blue Tits and Robins. Watch them seek out the inner most sanctums before the hedges come into leaf. Listen out for Green Woodpeckers in the woods and the first of the Bluebell flowers as they start to open up on woodland floors in a sea of purpls and blues.

You can find gardening tips. vegetables, herbs, fruits and nuts in season, and things to forage, in my Almanac for April (2023).

Poem for the month

Read or listen to my first poem - Welcome April - a celebration of Nature's 'opening up' as Spring comes into its own.

Cleansing recipes for the month

Try my recipe for Refreshing and Cleansing Nettle Tea using new Nettle leaf tips which are full of goodness for an inner Spring clean.

If you would like to cleanse your body more thoroughly, I highly recommend Cleanse to Heal by Anthony William as a great start to your Going Organic journey. Or try other cleaning and healing favourites including my Turbo Boost Turkey Tail Tea, Lemon Herbal Cleanse and super-cleansing Citrus Metal Detox.

Dates for Moon phases

New Pink Moon - Monday 8 April

Full Pink Moon - Tuesday 23 April

Times for Sunrise & Sunset (Devon)

First Dawn - 6.47 am

First Sunset - 7.49 pm

Last Dawn - 5.50 am

Last Sunset - 8.35 pm

Beech Leaves

Tulips

Visual odyssey across continents

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Nest Building

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Welcome April (Welcomeo 2024) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

Planting Herbs

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Things to watch out for and do in Nature in April.

Beech Leaf Canopies

Green is the colour that soothes us most. It has been shown to help us relax, relieve anxiety and inspire creativity. At this stage of Spring, the young leaves are naturally paler, because they are thinner, softer and contain less chlorophyl.

Beech leaves are well known for their stunning April foliage with softly layered canopies and brilliant lime colour schemes. In the sunshine and a light breeze, their dappled light is mesmerising so take a moment to enjoy this new flourish of life and take in its gentle yet vibrant presence.

Blackbird's Song

One of the great joys of Spring’s golden hour around sunrise and sunset is the supremely relaxed fluting of male Blackbirds coming from high branches and rooftops. Tune into their heartening melody and feel your spirits lift.

The bright trilling of this beautiful bird is quintessential to Spring. You can spot a Male Blackbirds by its deep inky black feathers, bright orange-yellow beak and yellow eye-ring which makes them stand out from the crowd. Female blackbirds are brown with spots and streaks on their breasts and brown beak.

Spring Butterflies

Favourite butterflies include the Peacock Butterfly which rouses from months of Winter stillness in March and early April as they search for nectar and a Spring mate. Their eyes detect movement faster than us due to myriad photoreceptor cells in tiny units called ommatidia. Their twin antennae smell the air in stereo and their tactile legs are more sensitive than our fingertips.

Other butterflies to watch out for are the Read Admiral, Small White, Green-Veined White, Holly Blue, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood. Watch them dance as they flutter around each other in their fanciful courtship rituals.

Hare Leverets

No mammal is more closely connected to Spring than the beautiful and mysterious Brown Hare. April sees in the year’s first baby Leverets so, if you are lucky, you might spot some a few days old, in a field hunkered down in a bed of grass.

It may seem odd to see such young animals on their own but Leverets are far from helpless. Their mother will not be very far away and comes to feed them every day. They are born able to walk and covered in fur so they get a head start on most newborn animals and are a wonderful sight to see.

April is a beautiful time of year full of life and vitality. Spend as much time as you can outside to absorb the energy and feel the pure joy of Spring.

I hope this has been helpful and look forward to seeing you here for my next Almanac on 1 May 2024.

Sue Cartwright

Spiral Leaf