Today the moon is new so, according to this version of the Ogham calendar, we’ve just entered the Month of the Hazel or the Month of the Crabapple. I say ‘this version’ because people don’t always agree about the Ogham calendar. Here’s another description of the Ogham. But never mind the controversies. Let’s admire the hazel tree.
The hazel (Corylus avellana) can be found growing in woodlands in lowland parts of the British Isles and in other parts of Europe too, also in parts of Africa and Asia. It’s not very tall, often found in the understorey. That means that taller trees grow alongside it and, when they’re in leaf, the hazel thrives in their dappled shade.
Hazel trees are important in their ecosystems and their wood has been used by people in many ways for many centuries. That’s why we have a fine tradition of coppicing.
In modern times the demand for hazel wood is less than it used to be but people still maintain coppices of hazel and other species. Some of the coppicing is done by volunteers and it was with The Conservation Volunteers (formerly known as BTCV, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) that I first learned how to coppice hazel with a billhook. If you’re in Britain and you’d like some healthy outdoor fun that’s useful, try this. The coppicing season will start soon and you could do a lot worse than to get out there with The Conservation Volunteers.
Oh and I nearly forgot to mention the hazelnut. This is one of the best sources of plant protein, suitable for humans, that grow well in Britain. For some people hazelnut allergy is a real problem but if you’re not allergic, you can enjoy many good hazelnut dishes.
Science on the Land 
Part of the botanical garden in Haren in the Netherlands is according to the Ogham calendar.
How fab! Have you posted any words or images about it?
I have written on this botanical garden at
http://dearkitty1.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/birds-and-botany-in-haren/
Info on Dutch on the Ogham part of the garden:
http://www.kunstkanaal.net/agenda/0000/20081102114616.html
A photo of part of the Ogham calendar in Haren is at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/saskiamaas/2126839866/
TCV (website:http://www.tcv.org.uk/) working groups are generally during the week, which is great if you can devote a day to it. There may also be ‘Friends of’ groups associated with nature reserves who have weekend working parties. These are organised in much the same way as a TCV one is, but work will generally be confined to the Nature Reserve with which they are associated. Some are free to join; other do charge a membership fee.
Something’s changed since I was last out coppicing, then. BTCV work days that I went on were usually on Sundays and occasionally I went on residentials too. I feel another blog post gestating! ‘How to volunteer on the land’ or some such title.
Please do put any relevant links here if you wish. The link you’ve just given is in fact the same one that I gave in my post here. Your knowledge of the conservation volunteering world is far more up to date than mine is.
I am confused; but that is normal for me. The hazelnuts we buy here are rather large (1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter) compared to the hazel nuts we find on our hazel bushes (which I believe our “witchhazel” liquid balm comes from. Yet when I used your link to look at “hazel trees” I saw what looked liked our hazel bushes that can be found in the country-side. So our hazel looks much like your hazel. My confusion comes from the large size of the nuts we eat. What do they grow on? Thanks for your expertise. “Wally the Confused”
Witch hazel is a different tree, even from a different genus Hammamelis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hazel There are some lovely ornamental ones. Over here its extract is sold for skincare which I assume is what you use it for too. You’re in N America, aren’t you?
I’m wondering whether your hazel bushes are naturalised rather than native. Perhaps they were introduced when Europeans settled the continent. But I just made that up and could be quite wrong! Likewise my guess that the hazelnuts in your shops might be from Turkey because the site I linked to about hazelnut recipes mentioned commercial growing in Turkey.
I’m adding these ideas to my to-blog list which keeps getting longer…
According to Wikipedia, there are:
Corylus americana—American hazel, eastern North America
Corylus avellana—Common hazel, Europe and western Asia
See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazel
Thanks! Also for your links to the Ogham garden.
I’ve just found a site which says, ‘The filbert nut in North American groceries is Corylus maxima, a related species.’ http://www.shee-eire.com/Magic&Mythology/Ogham/TreeOgham/TreeOgham.htm
Thanks, that clears it up. Much appreciated. Wally
You are welcome, like always 🙂
The Ogham part of the botanical garden is mainly in a circle, the year round, with plants fitting for the various parts of the year circle.
It sounds lovely. Does it work horticulturally? I’m thinking of sunlight, wind, drainage and so on.
The Ogham garden is not very far from a pond, so there probably is ground water enough. It seemed to work well when I saw it.
Here is the botanical garden’s page on the Ogham garden, with a photo of the pond leading to it:
http://www.hortusharen.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160&Itemid=104
Pingback: Tree of the month: Ivy | Science on the Land