Pilewort or Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)

Pilewort or Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), flowering between January and April; these lovers of damp woodland pathways, stream banks and ditches, can be found in gardens, meadows and shady hedgerows, and even Narnia, yes, Narnia! ✨

Ficaria verna growing on the bank of a field edge

An important nectar source for early emerging insects from hibernation, such as Queen Bumblebees 🐝

Lesser celandine were used to treat haemorrhoids, hence “Pilewort” and scurvy, due to being high in Vitamin C.

All in all, they are a pretty cool plant!

Thanks for reading! 😊

Alder (Alnus glutinosa)

Dwelling in moist places; Alder grow near rivers, ponds, lakes and in wet, swampy woods, also known as Carrs.

Their flowers were used as green dye, to colour and camouflage the clothes of outlaws, like Robin Hood and to also colour the clothes of fairies πŸ§šπŸ»β€β™‚οΈ

Flowering between February and April, Alder catkins provide an early source of nectar and pollen for Bees, and the seeds are eaten by Goldfinches, Siskins and Redpolls.

The pale wood turns a deep orange after being cut, giving the impression of bleeding. So, in the past, many people feared them and the Irish thought it was unlucky to pass one on a journey πŸ˜…

The roots have nitrogen-fixing nodules, conditioning the soil and improving soil fertility on former industrial wasteland and brownfield sites.

Alder leaf beetles (Agelastica alni) feed on the leaves of alder trees. They’ve become common in parts of England and Wales since 2004.

It was said that a few Alder leaves placed in the shoes before a long journey would cool the feet and prevent swelling πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™‚οΈ

Being a tough species of tree, their wood doesn’t rot when waterlogged, instead it makes them harder and stronger. Plus, mature trees can reach a height of approximately 28 metres and live to around 60 years.

Thanks for reading ✌🏻

Day 30 – 30 Days Wild

There we have it, 30 Days Wild! Today is the last day of Random Acts of Wildness πŸ₯³ So I am looking back over the past 29 days, and in this post I am sharing my highlights πŸ’š

My first drawing in 15 years!

Thanks for visiting! πŸ€™πŸ» x

Day 29 – 30 Days Wild

The weather has been similar to yesterday, so I got cosy and added colour to the drawing I did yesterday.

Adding colour 🎨
The finished piece πŸ‘¨β€πŸŽ¨

Thanks for visiting! πŸ’š

Day 28 – 30 Days Wild

The weather has been very temperamental here, windy & raining, with sunny spells. So after pottering in the garden, I did some drawing πŸ™‚

My niece really likes Turtles (Marine / Sea ones, not the species which Americans call Tortoises). My sister asked me to draw her one ☺️

I like to take pictures at different stages, to see / show my progression 😊
Just need to add colour now πŸ‘πŸ»

Thanks for visiting! πŸ’š

Day 22 – 30 Days Wild

It’s the beginning of National Insect Week, so there was only one thing for it! Get out & film (video below) some cool Insects!

#30DaysWild

I was happy to find some obliging Butterflies πŸ¦‹

Thanks for visiting πŸ’š

Day 20 + 21 – 30 Days Wild

Yesterday I had a wee trip to my local town & I documented how green the journey there is 🏞️

#30DaysWIld

Today I celebrated Father’s Day with some of my family & we had a BBQ, which my Brother-in-law & I tended to πŸ™‚

When the evening arrived, it was time to prepare for the Big Wild Quiz, hosted by Sophie Pavelle and David Oakes. Which kicked off just after 7pm, it was great fun & a laugh! πŸ’š

You can see my score in the comments πŸ˜†

Thanks for visiting! πŸ‘πŸ»

Day 18 – 30 Days Wild

At the end of May I became an Ambassador for The Rivers Trust, so I decided to go sit next to a stretch of the River Rea, on the edge of Gannow Wood.

#30DaysWild

Thanks for visiting! 🏞️

Day 17 – 30 Days Wild

Went for a walk around my local Wood and Green-belt today, when I was out a storm rolled in 🌧️

Rather than head home, I decided to stay out a bit, to listen to the rain & thunder whilst outside β›ˆοΈ

Thanks for visiting! πŸ’š

Day 15 – 30 Days Wild

Today I visited an Urban Organic Micro Farm, called Rea Spring Gardens – which is a short walk away. It is own and ran by a lovely, enthusiastic couple, Charlie and Ashley, who farm with wildlife and the environment in mind 🌍

In the video below, you get to see what they grow and the animals they keep! πŸ‘¨πŸ»β€πŸŒΎ

Thanks for visiting πŸ’š