NOTES from a. botanical world // July
NOTES from a. botanical world // July
Connect with nature, the seasons, and your wellbeing with a monthly round up of NOTES from a. botanical world from nature and gardening writer and author Sonya Patel Ellis
Welcome to the July issues of NOTES from a. botanical world, now at the height of summer and full in the swing of festival and camping season. It’s not for everyone but I for one was glad to have spent at least a week of June living minimally in a tent. Field life is one of my preferred ways of being and as extensive building works prompted by extreme mould and damp in my new house commenced, the facilities provided by Glastonbury began to look most luxurious. Working there, as part of the Interstage Decor Crew was such a fun and life-affirming thing to do and a brilliant way to get a much-needed nature fix.
I’ll be doing a full write up this week but there’s a little inspiration on what makes the world’s best festival so naturally restorative in NOTES from. near and far, alongside a review of our local Up Garden following a much overdue visit. The only way is up, for sure.
Glastonbury also features in NOTES on. writing elaborating on what to do if you can’t get to a computer to keep up that daily writing practice. If you’re a paper and pen kind of person, make sure you pick a pocket-sized notebook that’s easy to carry about. I’m more of a ‘head notes’ kind of gal, whereby I have a system for filing sentences and ideas in my head. As example, I ruminate on a run-in with some earthworms living under my tent, who may well have been tuning into the festival for several years (those with a wholesome country lifestyle can live for around 8 years). Who knows what the generations before them experienced.
It’s then back to NOTES from. the garden for an update on the school greenhouse and all that a protected environment can provide namely successive planting and shelter. Look out for NOTES from. the greenhouse soon.
My garden is a complete tip due to aforementioned building works but the damp festival that is ongoing in my house did inspire me to investigate ways to help prevent excess water in the garden. NOTES on. design scratches the surface of damp-busting French drains and plants such as ferns that prefer a damp environment. What I’ve learnt is that if major issues inside the house are caused by poor drainage outside, building remedial works into your garden design is very much part of the solution.
On that note, I’ve also themed this month’s NOTES from. the bookshelf around thinking more carefully about how to plan and plant up your garden. This includes expert-led books on garden design, creating a small garden, and plants for shade. I’ll be doing the research while the build goes on so that when it’s finished I can hopefully have a better idea of how to proceed.
I’ll absolutely be including herbs in my space but as this section of my garden is inaccessible at the moment my NOTES from. nature’s larder are inspired by the gloriously golden patch of calendula that the kids have grown at school. Now we have the shelter of the greenhouse I’m excited to show them how many things can be done with the herbs we grow in our garden including recipes and remedies to nourish, heal, and style from my book The Heritage Herbal. I’ve gone all out and included recipes for a Skin-soothing Bath Soak, Rainbow Flower Summer Rolls, and Calendula Sunrise Soap. If you want basic instructions for herb oils and syrups with which to make some of these recipes I’ll be adding these into July’s subscriber only offerings this month.
Last but not least NOTES from. the plant kingdom plays homage to the russet tones of sheep’s sorrel, currently found in abundance on Wanstead Flats, along with the medicinal and culinary properties of Rumex relatives common sorrel, French sorrel, and broad-leaved dock. A little of those tangy leaves can go a long way.
And lest us not forget NOTES from. the universe, looking up at the Super Buck Moon that brightens our skies tonight. Also known as the Wyrt Moon, referencing the Old English word for herbs, it’s time to get sowing, growing, and harvesting our loveliest, most useful plants.
All this and more is included in my third issue of NOTES from a. botanical world (keep scrolling down folks) and is free to subscribers so please do join my community as I have lots of content to share with you from my books and writings (The Botanical Bible, The Heritage Herbal, The Birdwatchers’ Bible, The Modern Gardener, The Herb Book to name a few), work as a school gardener, writing coach and arts educator, via the wonderful people I meet through editing and commissioning gardening and nature-inspired publications, and just because I’m getting on a bit and I know things. I’ll also be filling my NOTES from a. botanical world borders with lots of exclusive content for paid subscribers so watch this space.
I’d also love to hear NOTES from your botanical world so do get in touch via email (hello@abotanicalworld.com) or Instagram (@sonyapatelellis).
Enjoy the second issue and the weekend and i’ll be back with more NOTES before the next monthly drop in mid August (a little later than usual as I’ll be gallivanting around Greece for a bit. Can’t wait to share notes from the continent). Look out for regular updates via Just. NOTES in between.
Sonya X
