Plant ID can remain an inscrutable subject for many. I use a triangulation method when trying to identify a new plant – one guide is a classic field guide that groups plants by colour, flower type and then habitat. I use another guide that groups things by genus – this is useful to double check… Continue reading Identify Plants – a short guide
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I MAY RING
The lovely hawthorn has, across history, been regarded as the emblem of hope, a tree of union and of marriage. Its branches have been carried by the ancient Greeks in wedding processions, and used by them to deck the altar of Hymenaios. It was once said that Hawthorn could heal a broken heart. Maybe that… Continue reading I MAY RING
Barefoot wild running
“I slid to a stop, my toes piping mud between them. I had missed the turn on an invisible path. As my weight shifted and in the split second between stopping in one direction and tipping in another I was poised, motionless. A statue in the forest: framed by sunlight, steam rising into the chilly… Continue reading Barefoot wild running
Connecting Actively with Nature
We know that being active is great for our mind and body. We know that being in and connecting with nature is good for you too. But what are the much lauded benefits of bring activity and nature together? Being active. One of the very best preventions and antidotes to illness is exercise. It helps… Continue reading Connecting Actively with Nature
Mushroom Mindfulness
'Then it got down off the mushroom, and crawled away in the grass, merely remarking as it went, 'One side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter. 'One side of what? The other side of what?' thought Alice to herself. 'Of the mushroom,' said the Caterpillar, just as… Continue reading Mushroom Mindfulness
Change your perspective
Imagine being a person who has been imprisoned inside, all of their life. Consider that on average our children spend 4 hours a week playing outdoors. To put this in perspective, for the 168 hours of a child's week, just 4 hours are spent out of doors. To look at this another way, less than… Continue reading Change your perspective
An Ode to Urtica
Sometimes it is just worth slowing down for a moment and appreciating a single plant. A plant worth pondering is the much-maligned stinging nettle. I have chosen this plant because holds a notorious reputation, and fear, in the young and the old. It maybe because of this that we rush past this plant on our… Continue reading An Ode to Urtica
Why are trees good for us?
How trees affect our mental and physical health is becoming increasingly well documented – but this article asks the deeper question of why? It began with knowledge that trees take the carbon dioxide that we breathe out and convert it to oxygen as part of their own respiration. Trees ‘clean’ air for us to breathe… Continue reading Why are trees good for us?
Foraging for Wellbeing
"It was dawn on the vernal equinox. The sun rose to warm the backs of the silver birch. We lightly tapped the bark and drank the sweet, pure sap as it rose to push out the first flush of foliage. The touch and taste captured the essence of spring and nature in a way that… Continue reading Foraging for Wellbeing
Nature: treating chronic pain
People’s increasing disconnect with the natural environment has widespread implications for wellness. Chronic conditions are increasing on a worrying trajectory; pain is exacerbated by stress and this can create the conditions for long term pain. Reducing stress on our bodies, including through nature-based practices, have been proven to reduce chronic pain and consequently provide a… Continue reading Nature: treating chronic pain
