As we head from winter into spring, the garden suddenly comes alive with colour, bird song and the buzzing of bees. One of the first shrubs to blossom in this garden is the quince.
Quinces belong to the family Rosaceae, as do apples and pears. The quince was cultivated by humans before apples and pears and it is thought that many historical and biblical references to apples are mistranslations of quince. 
This particular quince is known as a flowering quince, a thorny shrub grown for decoration, although it still produces fruit. The fruit contains more vitamin C than lemons. Quinces originated in Asia, but seem able to grow anywhere. The first recorded planting of quince in England was in 1275 when Edward I grew them at the Tower of London.
Quinces provide a food source for various species of Lepidoptera. Indeed in this photo you can see a…
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