Articles

The power of ‘It’s okay’

The power of ‘It’s okay’

After an upsetting event the two words "It's okay" can offer much comfort. I've been the recipient of this easement, both at times of true distress and more trivial troubles. I've found myself...

Winter solstice

Winter solstice

The shortest day, the day that offers us the least light of all of the days of the year is today. On this, the astronomical beginning of winter, there is more darkness across the hours but this...

Some of Us Just Fall

Some of Us Just Fall

Some of Us Just Fall: On Nature and Not Getting Better. Polly Atkin's very personal book, Some of Us Just Fall, is an intricate memoir of a person with a chronic illness. It is a testimony of how...

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The chameleon and the crown

The chameleon and the crown

Goodbye to October, the chameleon and the crown of the season. A month when we can nostalgically forget the dark, rainy days and delight in the life-giving glow of decay. It’s no coincidence that this beginning of the end sparks inspiration, a time...

How my garden holds me

How my garden holds me

The motif of this summer was intense heat and more intense work schedules. A garden participant said to me in one session “how lucky you are to work in this calming garden”. I agree, I am. When I am at either of the gardens I work at I feel...

The gentle flow of flower pressing

The gentle flow of flower pressing

The gentle flow of flower pressing has all the qualities needed to grab your attention, take you away and let your eyes settle on the easy tones of nature whilst providing a creative outlet too.

GJC Book Club – Plot 29

GJC Book Club – Plot 29

Our second GCJ Book Club read, Plot 29 by Allan Jenkins was highly recommended to us by Eleanor from Hope Springs Gardening and what a wonderful choice!

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How my garden holds me

The motif of this summer was intense heat and more intense work schedules. A garden participant said to me in one session “how lucky you are to work in this calming garden”. I agree, I am. When I am at either of the gardens I work at I feel incredibly privileged. In...

The gentle flow of flower pressing

Sometimes, when our heads are full of thoughts and concerns, we need more than a passive activity to distract us. But worries are tiring and can leave us too exhausted to do anything energetic in the garden. The gentle flow of flower pressing has all the qualities...

GJC Book Club – The Hidden Life of Trees

Our third GJC Book Club read, The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, was recommended by Emily at Garden to Wellbeing and what a fascinating book it is. I also took Emily's lead and listened to the audio book because spring is a busy time for us gardeners and...

Edible flowers for ease, flavour and beauty

I’ve had a few conversations lately with people looking to grow edible flowers for the first time or intentionally wanting to add flowers they grow into dishes. Since edible flowers was my previous business I’m always happy to talk floral food. If you search for...

GJC Book Club – Plot 29

Our second GJC Book Club read, Plot 29 by Allan Jenkins was highly recommended to us by Eleanor from Hope Springs Gardening and what a wonderful choice! Plot 29 is about how gardening can soothe us and bring us peace. Allan shows us this alongside his journey of...

Winter light project

In the northern hemisphere winter has a lot of dark hours, more so the further north you go. For many people that's what makes it the toughest time of the year. Something I do to help my mood in winter is to seek out the light. Here in the UK there are locations in...

GCJ Book Club – Grow Easy

This is a very exciting post because we have just finished our first ever GCJ Book Club read, Grow Easy by Anna Greenland. What a great book to get us started! Before we start talking about Grow Easy, just to let you know that anyone can join the book club. It's just...

Meaningful winter activities

Winter can be a hard time for many people. The shorter, colder days might make it more difficult for us to get outside and enjoy nature in the ways we would at other times of the year. However, there are some meaningful winter gardening activities that we can do to...

Book club!

Like many other people I have appreciated books more than ever in the past two years. I have wishlists on paper and saved in social media, purchases waiting in checkouts, holds placed with my local library and 'to read' books lined up in an orderly queue on my...

Great books about wellbeing and nature

Here are some great books I have on my bookshelf. Some are specifically related to health, wellbeing and nature and some a little more loosely so. However, all encourage us to think about our connection to nature, what it means for us and our role in reciprocating...