Category: Plants

Plants, Products

The Magic of Gorse and Broom

Wild Fen

Hello Wild Soul,

In my previous post, I introduced you to two very closely related woody shrubs that we have found ourselves drawn to lately; Gorse and Broom.

I tend to connect Gorse most closely with coastal landscapes. This is where I find myself gasping with delight, as their vivid yellow flowers contrast beautifully against the sea and sky. It can also be found growing in under-grazed grasslands, heathland and the edge of woodlands with Broom found in similar habitats.

Pioneer species

Gorse and Broom both thrive where there is plenty of light and poor soil conditions, making them natural pioneer species, similar to Birch trees. This means that they will be the first plants to move into land that has been abandoned, cleared or degraded in some way.

They establish themselves quickly, stabilising and improving the soil around them as they grow. It is now understood that Gorse in particular, offers protection to young trees from wind and grazing animals.

As those trees grow, they will eventually shade out the Gorse, which weakens and dies without direct light, returning its nourishment into the soil. It has played its role in facilitating the transition of open land back into woodland.

You can read more about this process and research by Reforesting Scotland.

I think of these plants having a strong mission to return depleted land back into woodland. They can however be extremely challenging to manage, when this mission is in conflict with the desire to manage or maintain habitats in a different way.

This can be most evident in delicate heathland habitats and areas of farmland where Gorse will try to reclaim it and puts up a strong fight against any attempt to remove it.

Energy & Symbolism

Gorse and Broom are both wonderful guides in helping us to find ways to nourish ourselves and honour our needs. Their energy is wild and untamed as they fight to bring nourishment back to depleted land. Gorse in particular can teach us where we too may need a little fierceness in the name of protection.

They have developed clever mechanisms that allow them to nourish themselves in the most depleted environments, allowing them to flower abundantly. If you missed me talking about this in my previous post, you can find that here.

Like it’s name suggests, Broom was once prized for crafting brooms from. Its long whips made an excellent broom with which to clear away the old, both physically and metaphorically.

It is a wonderful plant to guide us when we are stepping out in new directions and may require a little extra self belief to support our tentative steps forward.

Gorse and Broom Collection

Our Gorse and Broom collection of tree pendants will be in store tonight, Sunday 19th April at 7pm. Here is a sneak peek of the pieces that will be available!

We hope you love them as much as we have loved working with them!

Upcoming Events

We have lots of wonderful events booked in this year and hope we may be able to say hello to you in person if any are close by.

We will be returning to the Nottingham Pagan Market next Saturday which is always an amazing day.

The following weekend we will be heading to Ely’s Food, Drink and Craft fair on Sunday 3rd and Monday 4th May. You can see our other events here.

Wishing you all a little extra nourishment today,

Nic x

Plants

April openings, Gorse & Broom

Wild Fen

Hello Wild Soul,

Did you know that the word for April is thought to come from the Latin verb Aperire meaning ‘to open’?

As I wander the land just now, I notice flowers and leaves opening on an almost daily basis. From brand new Oak leaves, to the delicate petals of the Stitchwort flowers. There is so much to enjoy meeting in April.

The Apple trees are beginning to bloom and the woodlands are thick with bluebells. I am trying to visit as often as I can, just to soak it all in.

Last week, we had a few days away in our van, visiting the Kent coast, an area new to us both. We loved walking along the chalky white cliffs, spotting kestrels and soaking in the vivid yellow of the Gorse flowers against the blue sky.

Last Spring, we worked on one of my favourite Wild Jewellery collections to date, celebrating the wild and untamed beauty of Gorse wood and since our recent trip, it has been calling to both of us once again…

Gorse, a member of the pea family

Gorse is a woody shrub in the pea family (Fabaceae) which includes lots of edible legumes such as beans, peas, lentils and peanuts, and plants like clover, wisteria and lupines.

Most members of this family have a bit of a superpower. By forming a relationship with a bacteria that lives in their root nodes, they are able to transform nitrogen from the air, into a useable form that nourishes the plant. This is why legumes are typically high in protein.

When the plant sheds material or dies and decomposes, it nourishes the soil around them, making it richer for other plants and trees that require more nutrients.

Gorse is very closely related to another woody shrub called Broom, both of which can be found growing in similar habitats throughout the UK.

The key ways to tell them apart is that Gorse has sharp spikes (pictured above) and its flowers have a strong coconut like scent, whereas Broom (pictured below) has neither of these characteristics.

We saw plenty of these two plants during our trip to the coast, and felt called to share a little more about both of them this week.

As you may well have guessed by now, Chris has begun working with their wood which is delightfully wild, just like the plants themselves!

In my next post, I will be sharing a little more about the wisdom and energy of these two, fascinating plants. You can also find us over on Instagram where Chris will be crafting some beautiful pendants from these wild woods.

More soon…

Nic x

P.s, you may also enjoy:

April overwhelm, mindful moments & tree flowers
Walking with Trees
The Magic of the Apple Tree
The Magic of Oak

Plants, Trees

The Magic of Wild Clematis

Wild Fen

This week, beneath the growing moon, we have been celebrating the magic of Wild Clematis, (Clematis vitalba) also known as Old Man’s Beard or my personal favourite; Traveller’s joy.

This woody plant is a member of the buttercup family, and is most likely found clambering along hedgerows or growing up trees where it produces these vines that hang from trees and always speak to my inner Tarzan when I see them!

This plant has a rather mixed reputation. In some areas of the UK, it is considered invasive, competing with other plants particularly outside of its native range of the South of England.

It does however provide an important food source for wildlife. Its small white flowers produce pollen throughout the Summer which is enjoyed by bees and hoverflies in the day, and moths at night. Its seed heads are eaten by many birds throughout the Autumn and Winter including Goldfinches and Greenfinches.

Wild Clematis, also known as Traveller’s Joy or Old Man’s Beard

It is perhaps most widely recognised for its fluffy seed heads which develop in the Autumn and earn Clematis its alternatives names.

And if you have ever travelled through the countryside and caught sight of it, lit up silver by the the low Winter sun, you may well recognise why it was named ‘Traveller’s Joy’ by those roaming ancient trackways.

We have really enjoyed working with this woody vine for the first time, uncovering these magical markings…

They were so exciting to see emerge from the oil, the markings were even more beautiful than we had imagined. If you missed it, you can watch Chris making some of these pieces over on Instagram.

Wishing you all love and a little Spring Magic,

Nic x

Plants

A brand new wood, but not from a tree…

Wild Fen

Hello Wild Soul,

I cannot believe that we are coming to the end of March and I have to say, it has been a wild one for me, how about you?

There have been some beautiful Spring moments, like hearing the birds singing, or feeling the sun warm my skin, but there have also been the days where I feel my Winter cave calling me right back in as soon as the temperature drops or the sky turns grey.

The thing about this time of the year, is that my mind is full of ideas and yet my energy cannot keep up with them and quickly becomes overwhelmed. I have found some of these Mindful Spring practices, really supportive this week, and so I am sharing them with you, in case they can be of help too.

Last week, we did a job that had been on our list for some time; to organise Chris’ wood shed. Last year, he inherited his grandparent’s shed and decided to turn it into his dedicated crafting space.

Over the past 5 years, we have slowly been gathering windfallen woods, getting to know both the wood, and the trees from which they came intimately. Since that very first piece of Birch wood we have built up quite the collection and so we wanted to create more of an organised space to hold it.

Using materials that we had available to us, we set about creating shelving, and making some pyrography labels too and he is already enjoying this newly improved space!

A new wood…but not from a tree

I recently shared a sneaky clip on Instagram of Chris working with a brand new wood, and a few of you shared guesses of what you thought it might be. I perhaps should have mentioned that the wood was not from a tree but from a woody plant…

It is always exciting to work with a new wood, especially one that is quite unusual because we have absolutely no idea how it will turn out, or whether it will even work for a pendant.

This wood comes from the vine like growth, of the wild Clematis (Clematis vitalba). You may also know it by one of its alternative names of ‘Old Man’s Beard‘ or my personal favourite ‘Traveller’s joy’

You can read more about this fascinating plant here:

The Magic of Wild Clematis

To honour Thursday’s Full Moon, we will have a small collection of Traveller’s Joy pendants in store at 7pm. Our hope is that they will bring you a reminder of the joy that exists on any journey, whether physical travel, or navigating our inner journeys too.

Wishing you some moments of joy this week,

Nic x

Mindful Spring Practices

Plants, Wheel of the Year

Plants of the Summer Solstice

Wild Fen

Midsummer is a brilliant time to develop or deepen our own intuitive connection to the land around us. Spending more time out in nature gives us the opportunity to connect with the wild world. What do we notice around us? Do the colours or shapes of certain plants draw us in? Is there a tree that we just want to move closer to, sit beside or feel their bark or leaves? Notice the pulls and calls, and see where our attention is being drawn. The more present we are, the more we will begin to notice.

Calendula drawing me in on these Summer days

Keep a note of what draws you in, along with any feelings or words that stir when you spend time near certain plants or trees.

Plants of Litha

We are spoilt for choice at this time of year, when so many plants are at their most vital and abundant. I would encourage you to see what plants call to you at this time. If any stand out and are new to you, have a go at finding out more about them.

This year I am finding myself especially drawn to…

Calendula

This joyful beauty is so easy to grow. They are a fabulous companion plant in the garden attracting pollinators and are edible with a wealth of medicinal compounds. The more you pick, the more they grow and perhaps most importantly, they make me smile anytime that I step out the door.

Lavender

Lavender arrives at the height of Summer as if it knows we may be in need of its calming presence. Another wonderful herb for pollinators, I find it soothing to sit next to in the evenings, gathering a few stems for my evening brew or to hang by my bed.

Self Heal

I await the arrival of this wild plant every year. It can be found creeping low amongst the grass to escape the mower but grows tall and proud amongst the herb beds. A member of the mint family, Self Heal always draws me in, and I love adding it to my brews.

Rose

Beautiful Rose offers us a welcome reminder to ‘stop and smell the roses’, especially when we feel too busy to pause. Rose guides us in uniting strength and softness and asks us to consider what we need in order to bloom.

Summer Solstice and the Oak Tree

The tree most associated with Midsummer is the mighty Oak tree. Its broad canopy offers welcome respite from the heat. Acorns are beginning to grow now, and the tree feels in its element. If you haven’t already, you can read the folklore about the Oak King here.

Oak pendants handcarved to order now

We are now making our Oak slice pendants to order. They have the most beautiful grain and embody the strength and grounding of the mighty Oak tree.

Just a reminder before I go that there is 20% off our prints and Wheel of the Year card deck this weekend

Wishing you all a little magic this Solstice. We are spending a couple of days around some of our favourite wildflower meadows. Look at this poppy field we came across!

Nic x

Plants, Wild Jewellery

Returning with a Spring in my Step & our Gorse Collection

Wild Fen

Hello Wild Soul,

I hope you have had a chance to soak in some of the delicious sunshine that has shone down on us so far this month. It has certainly put a spring in my step! I have felt the urge for some spring clearing, garden pottering, and a little planning for the year ahead. Have you noticed any changes in your energy yet?

As soon as the sun shines, I have an overwhelming urge to visit the coast, which I did last week. Whilst there, coastal loving Gorse seemed to be in its element, blooming vibrantly against the blue sky.

And so it is Gorse that has inspired our first Wild Jewellery collection of this year. In today’s post, I will be sharing more about this fascinating shrub, I will introduce you to our Gorse collection and let you know exactly when it will be in store, so let’s dive in…

Gorse is a resourceful, evergreen shrub that has developed many adaptations to help it to thrive. It produces nitrogen that enriches the soil around its own roots, so that it can grow in the places that other plants may struggle. Strong spikes protect Gorse so that it can bloom without restraint.

Gorse energy can guide us in learning how to nourish and protect our energy so that we may flourish. To me, Gorse is an advocate for an untamed life, and finding creative ways to thrive. What a wonderful wild guide as we move into spring.

Introducing our Gorse Collection

The overwhelming feeling we experienced from working with Gorse wood was ‘wild’ and ‘untamed’. It felt as though we were working with the wood to retain its own wild character, patterns and markings which shine through these unique pieces. We really hope you love them as much as we enjoyed creating them!

These pieces will be in store on Monday 17th March at 6pm alongside some other spring pieces. The link below will take you to our Etsy shop where you can add us to your favourite shops for updates.

We have really enjoyed hearing about your connections with Gorse over on Instagram this week. If you haven’t already, we would love you to come and join us there too. Let’s share and celebrate the beauty and magic of nature together. You can find us there by clicking the link below…

Further reading

As we approach the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere you may wish to catch up with some of our previous posts: ‘Ostara, Air and Smoke Cleansing‘ and Awakening with Ostara which includes my favourite journal prompt to work with at this time of year. You may also enjoy our Mindful Spring Practices too, especially helpful if you notice yourself becoming overwhelmed at this time of year.

In my next post, I will be sharing some of my favourite tree guides for the spring season, but until then…

Wishing you all a little spring sunshine this weekend,

Nic x

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Plants, Wheel of the Year

Imbolc is Coming

Wild Fen

How are you, on these stormy January days?

As the wheel of the year continues to turn, we head towards Imbolc, celebrated on and around the 1st of February. Imbolc is the mid point between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara) and can be thought of as the birth of Spring. I love this time of year as I notice a little more light returning to the afternoons. The first flowers are pushing up through the dark earth, catkins are unravelling and there is even some warmth in the Sun on the odd day or two. The energy is beginning to quicken from one of hibernation and slumber to an unfurling, demonstrated wonderfully by the first brave snowdrops and the colourful hazel trees.

In today’s post I shall be sharing my favourite herb and tree to work with at this time of year, along with some simple rituals, so lets dive in!

Continue reading “Imbolc is Coming” →
Plants

The Magick of Mallow

Wild Fen

Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris) flowers abundantly throughout the Summer months, providing a vibrant nectar source alongside verges, hedgerows, wastelands and meadows.

It is a highly nutritious plant thought to have been brought to Britain by the Romans who admired its edible and medicinal qualities. The leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible and rich in vitamins and minerals.

The vibrancy of Mallow flowers always draw me in and spending just a few moments by her side guarantees a sight of a busy bee foraging its nectar.

Mallow is a cooling, soothing plant associated with the moon and an important ingredient in our Moon Incense Blend.

We would love to hear how you like to work with Mallow, if at all. She seems especially abundant this year in the East of England!

Common Mallow Flower
Blending our Moon Incense
Topped with Mallow Petals
Plants

Bay

Wild Fen

Just like the other aromatic herbs that we have covered in our herb explorations so far, Bay (Laurus nobilis) not only enhances the flavour of our dishes but helps us to digest them. Culinary herbs, such as Sage, Rosemary, Thyme and Bay all have properties that help stimulate our digestion and helps calm the stomach, easing gas and cramps. These herbs, including Bay also help to ease symptoms of coughs and colds.

Continue reading “Bay” →
Plants

Sage

Wild Fen

Onto another aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean, and now commonly grown in the garden; common Sage. The name of this plant’s genus ‘Salvia’ comes from the Latin ‘Salvare’ meaning ‘to save, or to heal.’ The plant has long been used medicinally with examples from Ancient Greece and Rome and throughout the Middle Ages where it was commonly grown around monasteries for its healing properties.

Continue reading “Sage” →