Autumn Countdown: 6 weeks to go - Blackberry Season in the UK

Blackberries in the Hedgerows: A Late Summer Sign of Autumn

Hello, my fellow Autumn lovers! Today I’m writing to you from my old, comfy sofa that now resides in the new house. The sky is grey and moody and the weather forecasts rain later today. What a perfect setting to write about another week that brings us closer to September – the beginning of our beloved BER months.

📅 Sunday, July 20th, 2025
Today marks 6 weeks until Autumn!

The children have begun their school holidays, sunflower farms are opening their gates and the brambles are heavy with the first blackberries of the season. The latter is what I’d like to focus on in today’s countdown, as brambles are some of my favourite plants. They symbolise so much of what I love: the English countryside, its country lanes where brambles often grow, their wildness - untamed and spreading easily, often growing in the hedgerows and woodland edges. And, of course, Autumn...

Brambles are native to the UK and have been foraged since prehistoric times! Archaeologists have found blackberry seeds in ancient settlements, suggesting they were regularly gathered for food.

Brambles have incredible ecological value. They provide food for birds, insects, and even some mammals like hedgehogs, foxes, badgers, rabbits – even deer. They offer shelter and safe nesting sites thanks to their dense, thorny thickets and their flowers are an important nectar source for bees and butterflies in early Summer.

Explore more of our 12-week journey toward Autumn
Click here to view all the weekly posts

British folklore is rich in stories about brambles and blackberries. Hanging a bramble branch over the door was once thought to ward off evil spirits. They were seen as protective plants, growing at the edges of land, guarding what lay within. I love that our back garden has a large bramble bush growing by the fence.

It’s said that after Michaelmas (29th September), the Devil spits on the blackberries, making them inedible. In some tales, he was thrown out of Heaven and landed in a bramble bush, cursing it ever since. I love how folk wisdom is often dressed up as superstition. The fact is that blackberry season lasts until early October. By the end of September, the fruits are often overripe and no longer good for eating fresh or even preserving – hence the warning passed down as legend.

Why do I love brambles so much?

1. You cannot take a step in the English countryside without coming across a bramble bush. They are synonymous with country lanes and hedgerows, found both in woodland areas and in fields and pastures, often marking boundaries. The British countryside wouldn’t be the same without them.

2. They are one of the first signs that Summer has matured and it’s time to begin thinking about the coming of the colder season.

3. Blackberry season lasts from August to October, so these lovely fruits accompany us as Summer turns into Autumn, until the trees turn orange and brown and the temperatures begin to drop.

Shop our "Wild Bramble" candle, inspired by the blackberries growing in the hedgerows.

A gentle task for this week

I’m sure you know what’s coming:) Cook, bake and eat fresh blackberries. A taste of late Summer and Autumn combined: the perfect mix of home cosiness and our love for nature. If you can, forage some on your next walk. And if that’s not possible, check out your local farm shop or market. Frozen blackberries work too!

Simply pay attention to the brambles next time you’re out in nature. Notice how busy these bushes are – full of insects, with so many fruits hanging from each branch. A truly wonderful plant to have so close to home.

Is it legal to forage blackberries?

Under the Theft Act 1968, you’re allowed to pick mushrooms, fruit (like blackberries), flowers and foliage from wild plants for personal use, from public land - places like parks, common land, forest footpaths and official rights of way. I’m personally not a huge or very knowledgeable forager, but one thing I do know is to take only what you need and not to gather everything from one spot. Instead, take a little from different parts of the bush.

I hope you enjoyed my musings about blackberries – I’ve been meaning to make a blog post about them for a couple of weeks now, as their appearance is one of my favourite things about Summer. They are the perfect blend of seasonal abundance and the gentle foretelling of change… the promise of Autumn cosiness ahead.

Thank you for another week together,
Adriana x