The cherry tree in Studley Royal deer park is in full blossom. This tree is special, it is at least 325 years old and thought to be one of the oldest cherry trees in the country. #BlossomWatch National Trust

Yesterday the poet laureate told us at a National Trust blossom event that spring travels up the country at a human walking pace. Beautiful Durham, I believe you are coming into blossom now. Here’s your lovely #Blossomwatch map. Happy Hanami!

It’s a blossom barge. It’s named after Emmeline Pankhurst. It’s got a tree on it. And kids making seed balls. And it’s setting sail today down the Manchester Ship Canal. I heart the National Trust.

Legend has it that upon Dragon Hill in Oxfordshire, St George slew the dragon.

It's blood was so poisonous, it scarred the earth and left a white mark where the grass never grew again.

Photo: Hugh Mothersole #StGeorgesDay

'It’s been stimulating to interact with people who think radically differently from me: everyone deserves to be taken seriously.' Corinne Fowler on the mutual incomprehension of people with different historical relationships to British Empire. Excellent. telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/2…

‘Will no-one think of the seahorses?’ you may sometimes ask yourself. Here are some people thinking of the seahorses. Lovely. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan…

The Telegraph corrected inaccuracies in a recent article about the National Trust. I was delighted to hear Restore Trust had also been persuaded to correct on its site. Sadly, the RT correction asserts the author 'can be forgiven a slip of the pen'. That's not a correction.

When giving writing guidance I always advise against adjectives unless you’re absolutely sure they’re warranted, Sabella

Hanbury Hall's Festival of Blossom inspired by Japanese tradition - BBC News. It’s a great year for the #Blossomwatch bbc.com/news/articles/…

Have you spotted our blossom tram in Manchester yet?

Take a ride this spring with #BlossomWatch .

Fantastic interview with Corinne Fowler Her courage & determination in the face of vicious attacks are an important history lesson in themselves. And readers of the Tim Adams piece can also find out where Coleridge got his drugs, which is a bonus for your Kubla Kahn fans.

Mike 'He fiddled with my aerial and wolfed my Gypsy Creams, but, then, that's the comprehensive system for you'.

'Do you do sugar free muesli?'
'No. This is a canteen, not a ground sheet at Glastonbury.'
#Dinnerladies

Always nice to win, even in the ‘wokey ideology’ category (founded by Liz Truss in Financial Times today). I was always happy when my son won the attendance prize and I reckon this category’s actually about attendance - ie. being there & doing what you’re supposed to - but for institutions.

The ⁦National Trust⁩ has made the tram stops in Manchester go all pink and poetry-laden to celebrate the beauty of Spring blossom. And while I’m on, let’s also hear it for public transport and the beautiful cityscapes of northern England.

Manchester. It’s #blossomweek . Please take this lovely National Trust map and explore the blossoming streets of your beautiful city. See the lovely blossom-wrapped trams and the tram stops covered in pink and blossomy poetry by the Poet Laureate. Heady stuff. Enjoy!

You know how you can practically smell some photos?

We present to you – apple blossom from Powis Castle & Garden NT/YG Castell a Gardd Powis.

“Very recent visitors from Mars may not know of the regular attacks on the National Trust for being “woke” says⁩ today’s Guardian. There’s a former Prime Minister attacking the National Trust for “wokey ideology” in today’s Financial Times if they wish to catch up. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

I really need this as a t-shirt.

National Trust

Badger has afternoon tea.