'Here we go round the Mulberry bush', the old children song goes. However, although there is often a debate as to whether a plant should be classified as a bush or a tree, in the case of the Mulberry, it would take some strong arguing to name it as a bush. Though it does not grow high and its branches appear quite low on the trunk, both the trunk and the branches are far too robust to go with a shrub.

              There are two common types of Mulberry trees: the black and the white. The fruit of the black is black and that of the white is red. The other noticable difference is that the leaves on the black mulberry are more heart shaped. The trees by the pond in Fountains Court are black mulberries.

             Not only is its fruit edible, it is extremely tasty. It looks and tastes like large raspberries or blackberries, but has the additional advantage of not being full of seeds. One caution should be taken, though; it is very juicy and the juice stains.

Fountains Court in Inner Temple.