No Kissing Allowed

4 days ago
2 min read

A large clump of bright yellow flowering gorse on a heath with distant hill and blue sky. — Gorse in full yellow glory on Popples Common in May. Photograph: Angie Rogers

There’s an old English proverb that says ‘When Gorse is out of bloom, kissing is out of season’ - the implication being that Gorse has an extended blooming cycle and you can always find some in flower at pretty much any time of year.

Early in the summer I made frequent visits to Popples Common, an area of heathland north of Heptonstall village, to make a series of outdoor sketches and quick paintings of the abundant Gorse there. I loved working with vivid yellow but all too soon I had to break off for various commitments and preparing for Open Studios.

At last in late July I made some free time to walk up from Hebden Bridge in the full expectation of continuing my bright colour exploration. In my art kit I packed 3 different pre-mixed shades of lemon, golden and orangey yellow paint which I was looking forward to trying out.

A big pink rosebay willow herb flower next to spiny gorse bushes not in flower with distant hill farms behind and blue sky. — Late July on Popples Common and an absolute absence of flowers on the Gorse. Photograph: Angie Rogers

Imagine my surprise then to find not a single gorse flower anywhere on the common. There would certainly be no kissing!

At first I felt cheated and disappointed. But not for long because the whole space had transformed into a lake of lovely purples - the flowers of Rosebay Willow herb, foxgloves and thistles.

A large bank of pinkish purple rosebay willow herb flowers with trees behind and blue sky. — A huge bank of Rosebay Willow Herb on the common, far more beautiful in real life. Photograph: Angie Rogers

Rather than giving up I decided to change course and enjoy the sheer abundance of glorious flowers. Luckily I had ultramarine blue and magenta paint with me, perfect for mixing violets and mauves.

A sheet of paper with painted willow herb pink flowers in dappled light with the subject view behind. — Sketching in acrylic ink mixed on the spot to get the right colours. Photograph: Angie Rogers

All the while the temperature was rapidly rising and a bench under the shade of an Alder tree made an ideal outdoor ‘studio’ before heat and hunger drove me off down the hill back to Hebden bridge and home for late lunch.

A sheet of paper painted with pink flowers and green leaves outdoors in front of a view of wildflowers and distant hill farms. — The dappled shadows from the Alder tree add something indefinable to the image. Photograph: Angie Rogers

It turns out that in the UK there are two main varieties of gorse. Common Gorse, Ulex europaeus has bright yellow flowers and blooms from January to June, whilst Western Gorse, Ulex gallii has darker yellow flowers and a flowering season from July to November.

I guess I was just unlucky with the timing and next time I visit I’ll take a kissing companion with me!

A spire of rosebay willow herb pink flowers reaching up from foliage into a very blue sky w — Notice how vibrant the red stem is in contrast to the mauve pink flowers and blue sky. Photograph: Angie Rogers