Kidney Vetch                                     Tufted Vetch                                  Bird's foot trefoil.

Out on the Downs I visit rich meadows filled with fragrant and pyramidal orchids surrounded by a lush  verdure and sprinkled with yellow and purple gems of the the pea family ‘Fabaceae’.
The orchids are now fading as I write this and the purple knapweed, willowherbs and agrimony continue to delight the eye whilst still little peas unfold unperturbed by the summer heat scrambling through grassy fields.

The South Downs are my home and as I view the undulating hills, cross brooks and streams and the occasional ford and walk down into the picturesque valleys, I then kneel down and examine the flowers and my whole world stops.
The worries, torments and jobs to do disappear into a purple and yellow haze of pea flowers.
Studying flowers takes me to a place that every artist and musician understands, a place beyond all human endeavour and desire where my world is complete just as it is. I do not wish to own, travel, discuss, want more of or collect these flowers I just feel content and free as my mind stops in the beauty before me.

‘Beauty beyond thought everywhere, beneath, above, made and being made forever.’
John Muir 

Being made forever that is nature’s gift although now this gift must be preserved with more vigour than ever before, evidenced in the grass sward just yards from the flowering meadow which is devoid of a single flower, a green desert of failed beauty. I must not deny this truth that nature is being destroyed and I must work tirelessly to give a helping hand to the plants that I love, but also I must find time to soak up her beauty.

So now let’s explore ‘Little peas’.

The flower of these plants are undeniably distinctive especially if memories of sweet peas grown in the garden or the eating of field peas in farmer’s fields spring to mind.
However the peas I speak of provide valuable food not in their fruit but in their delightful flowers made of two wings and a keel. The bee lands on the keel ( bottom petal) the wings ( petals each side) spread and the bee takes a fill of pure nectar. Colour and scent are the attraction and pure nectar the reward, this phenomenon could not be dreamt up in the greatest novel, it is a tiny yet vast world where beauty reigns supreme.
Yes of course nature matches this beauty with death, decay and suffering but can we deny the contentment that comes from nature.
To quote from John Muir once more:

‘Earth has no sorrow that earth cannot heal.’

​John Muir who is not spoken of enough is known as the the founding father of the World Conservation movement and although he felt terrible pain at the destruction of wild areas and dedicated his life to its preservation he also felt the tremendous joy only possible when one immerses in nature!

 Therefore go to a meadow and spot the purple and yellow pea flowers of vetches and trefoils, look up the names of tufted, horseshoe and kidney vetch, birds-foot trefoil, everlasting peas, medick and melilot and take out a good field guide or go on a local walk with an expert in your area. You may wish to leave the guide book at home and leave the naming to others as you soak in the beauty.

If you wish to learn more please subscribe to our monthly newsletter or join us on a course where we can soak up the beauty and learn a deeper appreciation.

​May Nature continue to inspire you!

In this article we will explore the folklore of the Ash tree. 
For a more detailed exploration visit the Tree Folklore Course and support valuable Conservation work.

​The warrior is depicted as courageous, fearless and ready for all eventualities, prepared to put his duty first in order to protect the sovereignty above his own personal desires; to lay aside his own morals for a bigger cause than himself. Is this noble acquisition an excuse for the endless blood let of war in order to gain power? Is the age- old concept of a male warrior outdated and irrelevant in more educated times? Why are so many deep myths exploring this archetype that seems so prevalent and destructive in society?

Ash is the tree of warriors associated strongly with the Vikings, the Aescling (Men of the Ash) as well as the tree of Celtic warriors in the old Irish texts. As with all tree lore it is borne out first in its practical use as a weapon from the primitive spear and bow, through to the cavalry lance and even the mosquito aeroplane of world war one. Its wood is light and flexible yet inherently strong capable of bearing more weight than any other British timber.
The tree like the warrior lives a short time (compared to other forest trees of its stature) and its properties speak of progress and speed in the above uses named, as well as in the structure of the early car which most definitely has changed society drastically.
Movement, progress, change, the constant human restlessness is captured in the spirit of this tree, but where does the power of the warrior, this outward pouring of constant progress originate?

How oft a summer shower have started me
To seek for shelter in an old tree:
Old huge ash- dotterel wasted to a shell,
Whose vigorous heads still grew and flourished well, Where ten might sit upon the battered floor
And still look round discovering room for more...
John Clare

In the depths of an aged hollow tree we find the source of our power, a strength flowing from feminine qualities of stillness, patience and perseverance. I sense in the centre of the Ash and in all of us is that still, creative force that flows from the ability to yield and to give unconditionally. As mentioned before using the terms male and female need not be gender related but qualities we all possess.
In Celtic lore as we look at the archetypes and the function of the warrior we are drawn first into the female power. The original hunters of indigenous tribes across the world served the women first by providing them with the best meat to nurture the new life born from their wombs. The earth is often depicted as a female spirit – the ‘Juno’ or in Greek lore ‘Gaia’. The sovereignty of the land and whom the warrior first serves is therefore the female spirit from where all creation is born.

The maturity of the male spirit is therefore dependant on its acknowledgement of its female origins. In Celtic lore the training of both warrior and poet is often conducted by the mature women.
However it is then essential the youth once mature finds his own way and severs the ties with the mature women in order to find her in himself. In Earth spirituality we first have to accept and work with our deep desires, our need for power and ambition in order to eventually transcend them.

The deliberate severance of our innate pull to the darker regions of our psyche to form a higher nobility before maturity; such as that which is encouraged in more modern religion leads to a repressed state that will eventually be acted out. However being shown a safe place to be held without judgement, a foundation that accepts us truly as we are enables true nobility to arise as naturally as a new spring. This foundation will remain with us throughout our lives, refreshing us in more harsh times.

A judgemental foundation based on fear and sin will simply create a conflict in harsh times and make the suffering all the worse for it.
The harsh rights of passage in indigenous tribes are only possible therefore if the child has been held and loved by a nurturing mother. This pulling away from the nurturing mother is also essential so a foundation can be established in the individual.

However it is also true to state some individuals will not feel the need for such rights of passage and their challenges will be of a different nature, this is those born of the Poet’s tree, the Willow and choose a life of solitude and deep listening expressing themselves through less physical means.
In a sensitive society therefore the female/male warrior and the male/female poet will be acknowledged and nurtured. I use the term ‘poet’ to capture the essence of those of a more reflective and creative nature.
The outward signs of Ash are overtly apparent in today’s society and with the boon of social media the more male qualities of ‘doing’ and ‘being seen’ are dominating our society. However true reflection and nurture is in the aged- hollowed out tree unseen by the outside world.

The young warrior or poet therefore is trained by the mature female and inspired by the mature man. They painstakingly leave the nest, chose the right of passage suitable for them, be it in solitude or in achievement, and then finally mature themselves to continue the cycle.
If we life in a society that continually worships the stage of youth, the stage of initiation and the rights of passage through doing, we lose the mature stage and no longer have the role models to enable us to live in peace with a firm foundation.

Ash is the tree that checks peace, gives us the strength to move on and to work with change. However if we deny its feminine strength in the depths of its being, do not drink from the sacred well and find the cave of solitude within we are constantly restless and without foundation losing that beauty that stays with us in harsher times.

The Tree of Life

The most known association of Ash in European tree folklore is in its form as Askr Yggdrasill, the centre of the universe around which everything moves. Its roots represent the Underworld and are said to be guarded by a huge serpent, the trunk represents this world and its canopy the Upperworlds upon which sits an eagle and goats browse on its leaves. The spring, at its base, is where the Norns reside, who rule over the destiny of us all.
The World Tree or Tree of Life seems to reflect a universal concept replicated in traditions all across the world from the Cotton tree in Mayan Culture and the great centre pole of the tepee in Native North American culture made of the Cotton Wood tree. In Siberia the World Tree is the Birch. All of these forms seem to follow the pattern of a totem bird at its top and a well or pool at its base with some form of reptile as a guardian of the Underworld.

This is further enhanced in Christian lore in the form of the apple tree and its serpent. The apples represent the receptacle of the hidden knowledge and the serpent its guardian. The reptiles take us back to the oldest life forms inhabiting the land connecting us to our primal earth bound roots. The Underworld in Norse Mythology is called Hel, the origin of the word for Hell and is the place of the dead. The dark depths of life where serpents and insects dwell and our primordial instincts stem from need not be marked as evil. Often the beings of this world are the recyclers, cleaners and messengers of the natural kingdom to which all so-called higher species depend on. In Earth spirituality this connection is encouraged and sought out as being rooted in the world enables us to then ground ourselves in reality and accept all aspects of ourselves as discussed earlier.

O thou, whose mighty palace roof doth hang From jagged trunks, and overshadoweth Eternal whispers, glooms, the birth, life, death Of unseen flowers in heavy peacefullness; Who lov’ st to see the hamadryads dress
Their ruffled locks where meeting hazels darken;
And through whole solemn hours dost sit, and hearken...
John Keats

The wells and springs (or indeed the apples), connect us to our depths of memory, fate and true knowledge which is well protected as only those who are ready and are of a pure heart can drink from them.
In Celtic Irish lore Ash is also known as the warrior’s tree as an Ash spear is wielded by the solar hero Lugh Lamfada and the early race of men in Irish stories called the Fir bolgs (men of spears) were also said to wield superior ash spears. The spear and the sling were the only long range weapons used by the Irish Celts in the Bronze and Iron ages. There were said to be five sacred trees planted in Ireland and three of them were Ash for the warriors.

However it is all too easy to expound on the qualities of the warrior in a patriarchal society where the stories of predominately male heroes and barbaric Vikings are so popular. The Kennings from ancient Celtic lore, which were first written down in 1391 in the Book of Ballymote on the Ash help one to look more deeply into the more subtle female aspects of the tree:

Ash, a check on peace is Ash for of it are made spear shafts by which the piece is broken.
Checking of peace.
Flight of beauty, a weaver’s beam.
Flight of beauty.

Nion, the Ogham name for Ash means, ‘a thing produced’ possibly implying a more subtle use of Ash. The spear (especially when referred to as the weaver’s beam) can also be a magical tool to help heal and move people on in their lives.
Sick children have been passed through split Ash for healing and it is said a shrew was buried in an ash tree to bring about healing e.g. Ash by the church in Selborne in Hampshire.

Ash wood juice has been used to protect infants from harm. Ash crosses are made for sea protection and the Vikings were thought to use Ash as a magical implement. In the past Ash roots were carved into magical images.

In Celtic lore the tree of life stands in the Otherworlds as a beacon of light with acorn, fruit and nut on its boughs. It is covered in beautiful song birds and often also has a spring at its base. The tradition continues where we acknowledge faerie trees by waterways and honour them by tying rags and wishes upon their boughs.

In Irish Celtic lore we have the nine hazel trees of Connla’s well situated along the river Boyne and in the first tales of Merlin brought to us by Geoffrey of Monmouth we have Hazel shrubs surrounding a fountain. The Hazel tree (explored further in later booklets) therefore is a good candidate for the tree of life.
The five sacred trees of Ireland consisted of three Ash and two Yew. They played a pivotal role in the structure and qualities of Ireland.

Not only were they key assembly points for the Druids and for Ireland’s armies they marked the five provinces of Ireland representing the five key qualities ( knowledge, battle, prosperity, music and kingship) and ultimately the five key elements ( fire, earth, air, water and ether). This knowledge was passed down to Fionntan mac Bochna the oldest living poet in Ireland via a branch which bore the three fruits of nuts, apples and acorns. Fionntan being the oldest person alive at this time had the role of remembering the stories and the wisdom of the land enlivening the oral tradition at a time when it may have been lost. The branch was given to him by Trefuilngid Tre-eochair a giant that claimed to control the rising and setting of the sun, bringing once again the knowledge of the land into the province of its guardians- the giants.
In the Prose Dindsenchas we find a description of the three key ash trees of Ireland mentioned above:

Eo Mugna, great was the fair tree, High its top above the rest,
Thirty cubits it was no trifle,
That was the measure of its girth.
Three hundred cubits was the height of the blameless tree. Its shadow sheltered a thousand.
In secrecy it remained in the north and east
Until the time of Conn Ceadchathach.
A hundred score of warriors, no empty tale, Along with ten hundred and forty
Would that tree shelter, it was a fierce struggle, Until it was overthrown by the poets.

How fell the bough of Daithi?
It spent the strength of many a gentle hireling, An Ash, the tree of nimble hosts,
Its top bore no lasting yield.
T
he Ash of Tortiu, take count thereof, The Ash of populous Uisneach.
Their boughs fell, it was not amiss, In the time of Ead slane.

In the Mabinogion ( a collection of ancient Welsh tales) there is the story of the Lady of the fountain where we have the atypical tree of life in the form of a Pine with a fountain at its base. Otherworldly beings bring a scion of the tree of life when travelling to the human world to create a portal to their realms. The mortal who receives it can travel to the Otherworld which is why the silver branch is a badge of office for the poet who frequents these different worlds as explored in the Willow booklet.
The true function therefore of the Ash tree is as an initiator and the image of the warrior is simply a metaphor for the courage it takes to take up the mantle of your true purpose in life. 

Uses of Ash

‘Dark is the colour of ash: timber that makes the wheels to go; rods he furnishes for the horseman’ s hands, and his form turns battle into flight’
Ancient Irish Tales (T.P.Cross and C.Slover 1936)

​Ash established itself later than some tree species after the last ice age and especially increased when Elm declined in Neolithic times.
Ash timber as well as its wood has been sought after for centuries. It has been used to create early weapons such as bows and spears to the modern cavalry lance. Its other uses are diverse including tools, frames and shafts of vehicles both modern and ancient. It is the second most recorded timber tree in history and is the most commonly used plantation tree since the 17th Century.

Ash casts a light shade and is light-demanding, living no longer than 200 years in normal conditions. If it grows in infertile soils and is thus forced to grow slowly it will live longer and as a coppice stool indefinitely! The largest stool in Bradfield woods is 18.5 feet across and is at least 1000 years old and still has good vigour.
Ash wood is known as the perfect fuel for the fire and was traditionally used as the Yule log burnt at the Winter Solstice to celebrate this time of year, the birth of the Sun God.

The future of Ash- Ash dieback

In 2012 we discovered the first signs of Ash dieback or Chalara in nursery grown Ash trees and by 2013 signs were seen in the wider environment. Unlike the Elm disease which infected our Elms in the 1970s it is likely that the Ash will evolve to cope with the disease although we hope the loss will not be too great whilst this process is occurring. The current policy is to exercise caution in removing especially older species where the disease has been confirmed. The older trees will resist the disease far more effectively than younger trees. Unfortunately spores from the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus which causes the disease are carried on the wind.

As explored in the Rowan article the key to the species survival and indeed the survival of our native species is genetic variability for this creates the opportunity for the species to evolve to cope with the disease. This was not possible for our Elms as they were clones reproducing by suckers rather than seed.

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             Valerian and mallow            Me, hedge mustard & Black horehound            Bird's foot trefoil

Where the hedgerow meets the meadow, a glow of bunched yellow spurges gave food to a masquerade of colourful insects speaking of a wooded past. Once I drifted through the threshold of spurges I was initiated into the golden delights of a city meadow.

Agrimony, ragwort and bird's foot trefoil competed with ox-tongue, hawkbits and hawkweeds.
Clambering up through them were purple vetches, restharrow and everlasting peas. The spear thistle and exuberant lush foliage of knapweed offered a stately presence whilst huge white trumpet flowers of greater bindweed sounded out with colour matched with the subtler trumpets striped pink and white of the field bindweed. 

On its edges flowering valerian, mallow, bedstaw, crane and storks bill overflowed with the joy of beauty. I knew noon had past for the plant jack by the noon had gone to sleep.

I acquainted myself with over 50 species in this single city meadow, a welcome message to green our concrete jungles. Ah, time in nature is well-spent.

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Lime trees at Bradfield Woods

In this article we will explore the Lime tree. 
For a more detailed exploration visit the Tree Folklore Course and support valuable Conservation work.

I remember my first encounter with the small- leaved lime tree ( Tilia Cordata) in the ancient woods known as Bradfield Woods in Suffolk, one of the most continually managed woods in Britain and also one of the most biodiverse.

The lime coppice characteristically spreads out whilst still young  and then somehow straightens itself up as it matures, the rings on its wood grow unevenly and some years do not form at all! Although it has soft  wood that is not durable it has an astonishing ability to survive in shade even growing under the dense canopy of oak. Often the lime tree is prone to rot and therefore is short lived and yet has a tenacious habit of suckering.  As a coppice it seems to live indefinitely with examples of huge stools over a thousand years old.

A magic seems to feel the air where this species grows, a light graceful aura permeates the wood. Its dense canopy is lightened by its blueish heart-shaped leaves which distinguish it from the more common species of Tilia x europaea. Fossilised remains of the species Ernoporus tiliae, the bast bark beetle and studies of palynology confirm this tree dominated the South of England in early times only giving way to Alder in wetter regions and yet it is one of the least recorded trees in history and is now absent from Scotland, Ireland and much of Southern England. This indicates the continued management and planting of this tree was not essential and as it rarely seeds once destroyed it sadly does not regenerate.

Lime wood is most famously used for wood carving and in piano- making and is also known in the furniture industry. Its wood is soft and not hard wearing so is only rarely used in buildings. The wood is present in Neolithic structures such as the sweet track which although brings evidence of its existence it is likely our ancestors utilised any wood available rather than because of its merits.

One of the most known areas of Lime would have been around Lyndhurst which means 'Lime Wood' and when we discover woods or references with the name 'bass' in it this is referring to the use of the lime tree's phloem layer to create rope. This material would have been used to hold medieval scaffold poles together but unlikely to have competed well against the 1500 year old cannabis industry which produced high quality material.

What then of the folklore of the mysterious lime tree? Baltic folklore connects the tree to the goddess of fate and there are several stories in Greek mythology of goddesses taken the form of the lime tree.
Throughout Europe the tree quite understandably is associated with the joys of spring and especially in Germany with love, justice and unearthing the truth. In Europe it certainly seems to be an exalted and celebrated as tree of sacred stature.

But what of its associations in British folklore? Surely its heart- shaped leaves, soft wood and useful bark speak of a goddess of love and joy? When in July bees swam to its nectar-filled flowers surely our ancestors would have associated it with delightful other-worldly places?
And yet in Celtic lore, historical records and folk stories we draw a blank, the folk song Linden lea at leasts mentions this delightful tree.

Maybe the lime tree is a secret love unfolding in the heart of a ruined wildwood landscape waiting to captivate and awaken a sweet gentle quality once more?

As I leave Bradfield woods and note the exquisite flora, the graceful lime trees and the rare oxslips growing beneath their canopy I reflect on its associations with primulas which seem to favour this tree.
Shakespeare said primulas 'die unmarried' this is due to the flowers early arrival, flowering at a time unnoticed by the pollinators. The lime also stands unnoticed, felled early in wildwood times when we as a race wanted to tame the landscape.

Maybe now the few ancient stands of the lime tree speak of a bereft mother pinning for the more peaceful times when people lived in harmony with nature?

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                         Creeping cinquefoil                                                           Tormentil

 In June the roses start to flower decorating the hedgerows. The rose family (Rosaceae) is a large family which includes many trees and shrubs and also consists of the delicate plants known as tormentils.
Amongst the short grass a beautiful yellow rose appears that lifts the spirit, sometimes upright and at other times sprawling these plants add a patch of gold to the green sward.
The three main species you are likely to see in June are:

Tormentil Potentilla erecta- This delightful species has usually less leaflets than the trailing species ( at least 3) is almost unstalked with thread-like stems which never root. Most likely to be on more acid soils.

Trailing Tormentil Potentilla anglica- This species is slightly larger with runners rooting only in late summer. More stalked leaves with 3-5 leaflets.

Creeping Cinquefoil Potentilla reptans - This species is not so delicate, coarse with far reaching runners with palmate leaves on long stalks, this species you will find in more man-made habitats and sparsely grassy places.

To this species list we can add silver weed with its distinctive silvery pinnate leaves low to the ground, the yellow flowered strawberry with dry tasteless strawberry-type fruits, specialist species of cinquefoils, the strawberry, herb bennet, argrimony and salad burnet. A wonderful array of plants adorning our grasslands.

The potentilla species are often plants which soothe our intestine, stomach and throats the most famous being the herb bennet which will be explored separately.

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Willow- Tree of Poets.

In this article we will explore the folklore the Willow tree. 
For a more detailed exploration visit the Tree Folklore Course and support valuable Conservation work.

The woodland willow stands, a lonely bush of nebulous silver,
There the spring Goddess cowers in faint attire of frightened fire.  Robert Bridges 1844-1930
 
Whilst the woodland is still stark, the wind cold and the ground hard we witness a  tree with golden yellow blossom as if it is reminding us that the sun is returning. The Sallow or Pussy Willow produces silver catkins first and then the catkins of the male tree laden with pollen turns gold, thus providing a valuable source of early pollen for the bees.

'How doth the little busy bee improve each shining hour
And harvest honey all the day from every open flower,
How skilfully she builds the cells, how neat she spreads the wax,
And labours hard to store it well with the sweet food that she makes.'
 Isaac Watts ( 1674- 1748 )
 
The rest of the year the woodland Willow is probably unnoticed by most merging back into the dense woodland as just another small tree with green leaves.
The other two tree species of Willow (the Crack and the White Willow) are huge forest trees with branches growing low and high creating a dominating bush-like structure of abundant leaves in the summer. The Crack Willow is our most common large willow growing over many a waterway with shiny green leaves on top and silvery beneath. The White Willow can grow up to 80ft covered with silvery leaves on both sides creating an impressive sight in low-lying districts.

As with the Alder in the previous article Willow is intrinsically linked with the waterways, invoking a feminine presence which breaks up the skyline and encourages wildlife where the land meets the water. The beauty of our rivers, brooks and streams is a joy to behold and one can see why our ancestors gave names to the rivers linking them to the
Goddess. The terrible pollution of our waterways is in direct contradiction to the tradition and importance of their function.

Willow is the female guardian of the waterways, the ‘Lady’, whereas the Alder explored in the previous booklet is the male guardian, the ‘Lord’. Giving names to the landscape and its features creates a more intimate and familiar relationship with it. Our relationships are key to our psychological make-up and when we are in good relationship with someone or something we wish to respect it in every possible way.

Our ancestors relationship with rivers acknowledged their life- giving properties to the otherwise barren land. This quality is reflected in the nourishing aspects of the mother archetype thus giving rise to the rivers being named as goddesses.
This is a universal concept as seen in the river Ganges in India, named after the great Mother Ganga. In Europe the Goddess takes form as Danu in the river Danube, Sequana of the river Seine, Nimue and Diana in the lakes of Brittany, in Britain as Sabrina of the Severn, Vaga of the Wye, Sulis of  the springs of Bath and in Ireland as Boann of the river Boyne.

In Celtic lore the Goddess is seen as three in the Matronae and as nine in the form of the gifting mothers or muses.Ultimately the source of inspiration in Celtic lore is seen as flowing from the cauldron of life which overpours into the waterways, offering inspiration to all who drink from its source. Geoffrey of Monmouth (author of The History of the Kings of Britain 1136AD)  recognises this concept in his writings as he notes the importance of the three main trading rivers of Britain in the Thames, the Severn and the Humber. These could be seen as the arms of the Matronae in Britain, the Triple Goddess giving life, abundance and fruition to the beauty of the landscape. Geoffrey of Monmouth (Vita Merlini 1150AD) explores this further with the nine sisters which are prevalent throughout Celtic lore.
Their function is to bestow our souls with the gifts we can offer to the web of life and guide us to fulfil our destiny.

Folklore of the Willow
 
As the white Willow stands an indomitable presence shining with silver leaves she embodies a feminine strength flowing with the waters of life. As she produces her golden catkins and attracts bees and supports more invertebrates than any other tree except Oak its not hard to see why our ancestors would have looked to her as both noble and a muse for the poets:

‘The noble willow, burn not, a tree sacred to the poets.
Within his bloom bees are a- sucking all love his little cage.’
 Iubdan the Leprachaun( Ancient Irish Tales)

Willow takes us into the creative world of the poet who in ancient times was the remembrancer of the tribe who travelled into the inner landscape.
 
 Poetry is one of the key components of the British traditions as it can be used to explore the depths of the soul, giving voice to original thought and thus awakening a deeper understanding of life.
This importance of the soul was reflected in the poets of the nineteenth century such as Keats and Claire who had tragic, painful lives which perhaps enabled them to explore such depth through their poetry.

​‘Poetry should be great and unobtrusive, a thing which enters into one’s soul....’
John Keats 1818

John Keats tragically short life was filled with loss and his choice to dedicate his life to poetry over a medical career was brave indeed, especially as he failed to experience his success and recognition in his own lifetime. However maybe the joy of following his true path transcended many of his woes as he states in his poem Sleep and Poetry:

‘O for ten years that i may overwhelm
Myself in poesy; so I may do the deed
That my own soul has to itself decreed’
 
In the Celtic tradition we discover the poet was exalted above any other profession and even Chiefs, Kings and Queens bowed to their supremacy - why?
The value of the soul was paramount and poetry was considered to be its expression taking us to the fruits of immortality in the Otherworlds.

It may seem strange in the modern world to give such importance to the arts but as the poet Leo Kermorvan reminds us in the poem The Return of Taliesin written in the 19th Century - ‘the soul remainth ever the same’ and we are indeed fundamentally the same as we have always been; and feeling conveyed through art still moves us deeply. It is probably only in the last century that material and worldly gain has taken precedence over concerns of the soul and spirit.
 
The Kennings of the Willow tree take us into the realms of death linking willow to bees, grief and loss:
 
Willow, the colour of the lifeless one
owing to the resemblance of its colour to a dead person.
Hue of the lifeless.
Beginning of loss, willow.
Strength of bees.
 
Book of Ballymote 1391
 
Bees  represented a connection to the Other-worlds and also were considered an inspiration to community life as they work together as a whole to benefit the swarm.
 The Queen bee represented the Great goddess in Classical traditions, often referred to as ‘birds of the muses’ bestowing eloquence and honeyed words. Bees as knowers of ancient lore are connected to the underworld. The female power and poetry they represent are not just about beauty and love but also take us deeper into the mysteries.

In Celtic lore the old women of wisdom, as already explored in the Rowan booklet, may be gnarled and twisted just like a Willow but command respect and bestow wisdom. In fact it is the old crones like the Cailleach and the Morrigawn who are the guardians of wisdom and the mysteries of death.
The early poet’s initiation into their arts was through a deep connection to darkness and the deep wisdom of the earth.

Willow invites us to acknowledge our grief and suffering and be aware of the destruction we unleash onto the green world. Owning  up to the part we play in harming nature need not be a depressing or guilty process but an empowering, compassionate and ultimately freeing process.

The poet’s art was learned in the dark side of the year once the harvest was gathered in. The arduous training was conducted in dark cells sometimes likened to imprisonment. This enabled the poet to awaken the inner light which is spoken about in Shamanic traditions all across the world.
It is only by entering the darkness, feeling grief and truly acknowledging the darker aspects of ourselves that we can discover the strength of bees which is the entrance to the ‘Delightful land of honey and wine.’
This land is the perfection of your own inner light within you that the Irish call the Glefiosa, the bright knowledge, the dawning of which can be helped through Willow and a tranquil mind.

Celtic traditions encouraged Willow trees to be planted at burial sites so that the spirit of the corpse can rise into the sapling above, Willow probably being a preferred choice as it is said to ease the passage of the soul at death, a psychopomp- a guide for the soul to find their place after death.
To wear Willow is to grieve openly and the tree I suspect encourages us to be open to our deeper emotions.
 
Witches brooms may be bound with Willow to dedicate the broom to the goddess and the moon. Its leaves, bark and wood may be be burnt as incense for similar reasons.
 
Celtic lore speaks of Willow connected to in-between states and otherworld experiences. Her connection with water (as already discussed) enhances that as water represents that more fluid otherworldly state, the cycle of life and death and our returning to the source. Gypsies cut Willow on Green George day (23rd April) to propitiate water spirits, bless the crops, herds, and pregnant women, and to heal the young and old.
The Sumerian goddess Belili rules over the moon, love and the underworld and therefore is connected to Willow as are other powerful goddess archetypes such as Hecate and Cerridwen. Women were warriors and leaders in Celtic Society and often trained the young men in battle. The old adage of the Willow bending in the wind rather than resisting it comes to mind as we recognise the power of the feminine source.

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                             Smooth sow-thistle                                                     Prickly sow-thistle

In this article we explore the bewildering array of  dandelion-type plants which come into flower in May.
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As May progresses more and more of the complex plants of the Daisy (Asteraceae) family reveal themselves often known as composites as the flowers are made up of many tiny flowers packed into one compound head. The earliest of these flowers is the dandelion itself followed by many of its close relatives.
​In early May the sow-thistles both prickly and smooth are the next to flower after the dandelion. The sow-thistles are unnoticed by most as they are considered just another weed.

‘O the prickly sow-thistle that grew in the hollow of the near field, I used it as a high jump coming home in the evenings...’     -Patrick Kavanagh.

They have large fleshy foliage with milky juice, are extremely common and flower earlier than the wild lettuces which we shall explore later in the year.

       Smooth hawksbeard             Rough hawksbeard              Beaked hawksbeard           Bristly ox-tongue

                   Cat's-ear                                      Rough hawkbit                                        Nipplewort

Alder- Tree of the Wetlands

​In this article we will explore the folklore, history and ecology of the Alder tree. 
For a more detailed exploration visit the Tree Folklore Course and support valuable Conservation work.

Over damp cool meadows fall decaying rotting branches from aged trees with burrs and bosses, crooks and crannies, elbows and knees.
Biting insects circle stagnant pools, meandering rivers flood the landscape of coarse grass, sedges and rushes. An abundance of green, prolific flowering plants grow, some of which are now rare like bog- asphodel, cranberry and sundew.
Ospreys glide overhead hunting for fish. Plovers, sandpipers and mallards winter in the warmer climes of Britain.
Such a landscape not tamed by man has always been under attack for the human need for food. It may be that these vast challenging places invoke a primitive fear of the unknown. To lose that element of the unknown as we have done in this country is to remove a creative wonder of life.
We hear of the terrible plight of indigenous tribes across the globe but as we explore the Alder and the wild untamed wetlands of Britain we can also uncover the misuse of land, the destruction of the commons and the taming of the countryside here in Britain.
Naturally about a quarter of Britain has been some kind of wetland, be it a bog, meadow, fen or marsh. These areas rather like the original wild wood, were large areas of wild countryside supporting many species.
Starting with early land clearances in Mesolithic times our quest to cultivate the soil and tame the landscape has been indomitably pursued destroying valuable habitats without question.

‘Alder carr’ is the name given to the habitats Alder creates along the waterways. Alder doesn’t like stagnant anaerobic water or severe prolonged flooding but prefers moving oxygenated water and is associated with plants of fertile soil due its nitrogen-fixing properties. In a mixed wood it associates itself with Lime, Birch, Chestnut and Hornbeam growing in soils varying from 3.3ph- 7.3ph.

There are three main woodland types of Alder:
Fen- low level ground on floodplains of rivers and streams.
Valley- Growing along narrow fringes to streams or climbing flushed slopes especially in Western Britain.
Plateau- level uplands often on a watershed. Alder generally will colonise new sites, its seeds dispersed by water and to a lesser extent wind.

As land has been drained for farming the Alder tree has suffered and although it can grow in drier soils its seed needs a prolonged period in water to germinate.
Our wetlands and ancient woodlands suffered immensely in the enclosure acts of 1750- 1850, the wild uncultivated areas seen as an affront to progressive civilisation. The huge commons and wetlands such as the fens were affected and the landless poor suffered. The rural workers of our countryside that understood the land intimately are no different from the indigenous tribes across the world who were removed or denied access to their way of life.
A poet whose life was intricately linked with the time of the enclosure acts was John Clare, whose poetry implores us to care and love nature:

'And long, my dear valleys, long, long may ye flourish, Though rush-beds and thistles, make most of your pride; May showers never fail the green’ s daisies to nourish, Nor suns dry the fountain that rills by its side.
Your flat swampy valleys unwholesome may be; Still, refuse of nature, without her adornings
Ye are as dear as this heart in my bosom to me. '
John Clare (1793- 1864) 

Folklore of Alder

Alder, the van of warrior bands for thereof are the shields. Shield of warrior bands.
Protector of the heart, the shield.
Guardian of milk.
Book of Ballymote 1391

The Alder is a beautiful tree which can develop into a large canopy tree up to 70ft high. In the spring the tree is striking producing reddish brown catkins and at the same time is laden with last year’s tiny black cones.
Fringing wetland habitats it stands as Spring goddess of fertility and hope which is perhaps why the Norsemen called March ‘Lenct’ ( to become Lent) which means ‘the lengthening month of the Alder’.
The Alder is often thought of as a Faery or Elemental tree, an axis from which the elements flow and form. Here are the ways it connects to the four elements:
Water- forms a valuable habitat known as ‘carr’ supporting much wildlife on wetlands or beside rivers and lakes.
Fire- Alder wood does not burn especially well but produces hot charcoal and gunpowder
Earth- The tree roots into the ground fixing nitrogen salts therefore enriching the soil around it.
Air- It has ‘Royal’ purple buds, the colour of the raven and therefore connects the tree to the raven-headed giant Bran or the Irish Goddess known as the Morrigawn who also takes the form of the raven. Both deities have oracular powers of prophecy and protect the land from invaders. The wood has also been used to make whistles and pipes.
The kennings above instantly connect Alder to the shield which is made from Alder and the Willow, both trees of the water ways. The Lime tree was also used for making shields. This is due to the wood needing to be light, strong and flexible.

Alder at the front line that foraged first....
Cad Goddeu (Battle of the Trees) Book of Taliesin 14 Century

The quote above puts Alder at the front line in battle and in Celtic times it was the warrior’s shield that went first into the battle. The courage needed to walk forward into a horde of armoured warriors must have been immense. That same courage can be used to face difficult times and emotions. The courage to sit with your feelings rather than fill your time with exciting pursuits is as difficult as any expedition to the North Pole!
This courage and the quality of not shrinking from a fight is further enhanced by Iubdan the leprachaun from the Ancient Irish Tales (T.P. Cross & C.Slover 1936) mentioned in previous articles:

Alder, very battle witch of all woods, tree that is hottest in the fight...

Although the two key deities associated with Alder (Bran and Morrigawn) are ferocious in battle they are ultimately guardians of the land. It is not therefore about shrinking from a fight but more about standing up for what you believe in and doing righteous action. This is explored in many Mythological texts as doing what is right is sometimes contradicting what you may feel is ethical.

Bran went into battle because his beloved daughter was being mistreated and his severed head ended up being buried at White Hill in London to protect the land from invasion.
The ravens are there to do his bidding and if ever they are to leave Britain will fall. The ravens currently reside at the Tower of London which brings this story into current times.
Bran is considered to be a formidable giant in Welsh mythology and as discussed in the Rowan booklet therefore puts him in that role of protecting our sacred land. In the stories he is depicted as a moving landscape of wood, mountain and lake bringing alive that incredible power recognised by the Celts of the land itself.
The female counterpart in Irish mythology is the Morrigawn who in the First Battle of Moytura guards the land with unstoppable malice:

‘We will put an enchantment on the trees, and the stones and sods of the earth, and they will rise up and be an armed host against the fomor and put them to rout’

This image of the very earth itself coming alive and swallowing an army reaches into a primal memory of the earth’s power in the form of volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis.
In the stories we can see how these battles are connected to the very sanctity of the land. When invaders actions work in harmony with the land, new plains and rivers form and when the land is not considered, chaos is ensured!
This is maybe why the Roman armies confounded the Celts over a long period of time for their warfare cared not for the landscape or for acts of valour as heroic deeds were second to mechanical warfare and the land was utilised in whatever way the battle could be won.
This again brings us back to the guardians of the earth in Celtic stories for although they are formidable and take the form of terrifying beasts at times, their loyalty is to safeguard the land and test the heart’s strength and purity.

In the Rowan article I mention the Morrigawn’s prophesy of what is to come and it is she that proclaims in the second battle of Moytura:

Green growth after Spring, Autumn increase of horses,
A company for the land, land with trade to its furthest shore; May it be mighty forested, perpetually sovereign.
Peace high as heaven, life eternally.

The Alder is considered to be the male counterpart to the Willow as they both preside over our waterways nourishing and supporting this vital system. The male aspect is further enforced in the trees’ association with warriors.

The wood, as already discussed, was used to make a shield, and a fiery red dye obtained from the bark called ‘roeim’ (that which reddens the face) may have been used like woad to strike fear into the enemy. In the Welsh triads they speak of crimson-stained Warriors of the Alder Cult. Dyes can also be obtained from the flowers (green) and the twigs (brown).

O Alder, thou art not hostile delightful is thy hue, thou art not rending and prickling
in the gap wherein thou art.
Frenzy of Mad Sweeney 1200 Irish texts society.

However let us also acknowledge the more gentle aspect to Alder and the waterways as the Morrigawn calls for peace in the Battle of Moytura, and Sweeney (above) sings the Alder’s praises.
The third Kenning from the book of Ballymote refers to Alder as the ‘protector of the heart’. The shield after all is first and foremost for protection (of the heart) encouraging us to go forth and is not a weapon as such.
The earth energy does indeed erupt and remind us how insignificant we all are but also reminds us of the small acts of courage and compassion that change the world. It is in the humble plants of natural regeneration explored in the Birch booklet we must put our trust. Nature’s answers may seem ridiculously simple but are most effective.
I was overjoyed to witness an osprey flying over the wetlands of Arundel, West Sussex last year and this year the explosion of blossom,
flocks of song birds and larger birds of prey has cheered my heart. There is much room for improvement but the conservation movement is now more effective than it has ever been.
Wetlands are prized by a nation of birdwatchers. Britain is a major refuge for winter migrating birds as they especially flock here in extreme winters. One of our largest inland wetlands, the Somerset levels, sheltered up to 50,000 widgeon and 70,000 lapwings in the winters of 2010/11. Some species are rising whilst others are in decline due to wider issues but most certainly we are learning to care for these important habitats. 

The Uses of Alder

The Latin ‘Alnus’ may have been derived from the phrase ‘Alor Amne’- I am nourished by the stream.
The leaves can help relieve weary feet and put into duvets and cushions etc., to give rheumatic relief. The leaves can also be used to tan leather and the bark can be placed on burns and inflammations including the neck if inflamed.
Alder wood is not durable unless immersed in water so is an ideal wood for water pipes, troughs, canal lock gates etc. Much of Venice is built on Alder piles and the wood in Britain would have been used as foundations for ‘Crannogs’- villages built on waterways in ancient times.
The further exploration of waterways, and the history of woods will continue as we explore the beauty of willow and the role she plays in the landscape in the next booklet.
May nature continue to inspire you. 

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In this article we will explore the meaning of the Celtic Festival of Beltaine. 
For a more detailed exploration of British traditions and Celtic Spirituality you may which to explore the Woodland Bard Course and support valuable Conservation work.

It is the hawthorn tree ( pictured above) which is the traditional marker of May, a guardian tree associated with the Sidhe/faerie folk and the fertility of the land. Beltaine is a time of great celebration, our ancestors who lived so much of their lives outdoors would have taken great delight in this time.
 
At one time all fires would be allowed to go out and one central fire would be lit in the spiritual centre of the land ( Tara in Ireland for instance) then all other fires would be lit from it, the soul of the land awakening across the tribes. The main fire would become two and the cattle would be driven between them for purification. The great celebration would begin in earnest, the maypole erected as a phallic symbol of the fertility of the land. May Queens would weave garlands decorated with hawthorn blossom expecting to be courted by the men.
Large fires, parades, dancing and singing would celebrate Beltaine which is the beginning of the summer and the fruition of the green world. This was the natural time  for couples to be hand-fasted ( the marriage of two souls bound together by 5 cords of love representing the 5 elements, the essence of all life).
This would be further consecrated as the two newlyweds would go into the woods and share their love. The idea of there being a special time for love-making which the green world supported and rejoiced in, meant an excitement filled the air and couples could let go. This almost allowed it to have an air of innocence, a youthfulness unfolding of the twinning of souls as the High King of the green world symbolically mated with the sovereignty of the land. This union of souls never need be restricted by gender as men join with men and women with women expressing their male and female  aspects in ways that feels right for the individual.
 
Beltaine Fire Ritual.
 
Taine means fire and Bel is either the name of a great Celtic God or a name meaning shining or brilliant. The core of its meaning therefore is a fire for the Otherworld, the bright realms and this is a time where you can enter heightened states of knowledge of the inner worlds.
 
An altar of flowers, herbs, leaves and barks can be a focal point. Light the fire or candle and invite the joy of summer to enter your life, the adventurous teenager exploring their new awakenings of soul. If practical you can jump over the fire or candle individually or as a couple for purification and good intentions. An alternative is to jump over a broom stick laid on the ground or held low by two people. As the person or couple jumps they can feel a sense of going through an exciting threshold in their life and invite new growth to transform them. Whilst jumping the rest of the group can chant:
 
“Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the broomstick”

Although you can celebrate Beltaine at home and on your own as you can with all the other festivals, it is a good time to be with others and out in the countryside around you.
 Celebrate, be merry and enjoy this threshold of the year, though remember the door to the Bright Realms is wide open at this time just as it is in Samhain, so do not allow your merriment to run too far away with you. Surround yourself with good caring people and warm friendly souls.