Same hare arch,,, picked them between Xmas and new year..befor now,,, mind I've also picked them in sept, and had good gin...
I read somewhere ,,don't know if its true or not,,, that the blackthorn bush,,, is the longest active plant,bush thingy,,, in that it can flower in feb,march ,, and still have fruit in to dec and jan,,,meaning it has very little inactivity in the year