It was here we go round the mulberry bush in my garden recently – or rather here we go under the mulberry tree. Mine is a Black Mulberry grown almost as much for its foliage and shape, as for its squishy sharp-flavoured dark red fruit which grow hidden from obvious sight beneath the leaves. Since its branches reach down to the ground collecting it involves a lot of clambering about [and often a few curses] trying to avoid tripping over . But the effort is usually worth it.
I also have a White Mulberry whose fruit don’t hide away under the foliage, but since they are virtually tasteless the ease of picking does’t come into it because I don’t bother. However the leaves would be really useful if I wanted to keep Bombyx mori, because they are the preferred food of their caterpillars, better known as silkworms.
Both sorts have long histories in the garden and that’s what today’s post is going to explore BUT what’s it got to do with the famous nursery rhyme, the murder of St Thomas à Becket and the late Queen Elizabeth?
The Garden History Blog 
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