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The Rowan tree produces bright red berries at Lughnasdha and the first crops are harvested.
This year at this time many of us are tentatively re-emerging from a lock-down with still a lot of uncertainty before us. This article explores the festival of Lughnasadha and the importance of our connection to the land. By connecting deeply with the land where you live you will find an incredible support system. We find that all life supports our existence just as our own life supports the system too. This concept is captured in the words of John Muir: 'No Sierra landscape that I have seen holds anything truly dead or dull, or any trace of what is called in manufactories is called rubbish or waste; everything is perfectly clean and pure and full of divine lessons. When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. ' John Muir Lughnasadha is often thought of as a festival dedicated to Lugh Lamfada (a key Celtic deity) but its true function is to celebrate his foster Mother Tailtiu who died after spending a year clearing a great plain to feed the people. It is therefore a celebration of agriculture and at this time the first harvest. A time to honour the sacrifice of the goddess of the land to feed her people. The foster-mother in Celtic society was held in great esteem and importance. Bridgit was known as the foster-mother of Jesus in her form as a Christian Saint. As we enter the season of Lughnasadha it is an opportunity to explore a key aspect of essential human need- the food we eat. At one time the food we eat would have come from the countryside around us, grown by the community ripened by the sun, picked by the hands that would eat it and grown in well-nurtured organic soil. Nature dictated what crops were suitable for the conditions of a given area, alleviating the need for this constant questioning of what is good for us. We now pay for scientists to explore the chemical components of food to help us with our quest for good health and the obvious conclusion that a mixture of food in moderation covers most of our needs; that every food has benefits and disadvantages. However ancient lore points to the best food types are those grown in season. What we eat, how it is grown and our expectation of foods being available all year round was explored in one of the oldest Irish stories! In the Second Battle of Moytura, the terms spoken between Lugh and Bres were very much about the best way to work the land. It clearly states that each season works for the production of food and to expect it out of season is to go against nature. To set up schemes which look to improve the overall quality of food production seem to me far more effective than creating niche organic markets. Raising the standards of all foods and ensuring all crops are grown considering the welfare of wildlife and the welfare of all domestic animals is surely true progress, and much more needed than ploughing money into food research and intensive farming so that food can be grown all year round! Lughnasadha Ritual Here is an invocation to the land you may wish to use and although it is especially relevant to Ireland, these ancient Gaelic names can connect us to which ever land we live upon at this time, for they call to the deities of all Celtic lands which once stretched all across Europe and beyond. The main verses are adapted from the beautiful words of Eleanor Merry, an English poet with a deep connection with the Celtic twilight. Chorus: Eriu, Banba, Fodhla, I seek the land of Erin, Fruitful be her seas, perpetually green her forest, I feel her in my bones, I feel her in my blood. Danu, soul of the ancient mysteries, Wanders forever under the canopy of heaven, Wrapped in her mantle of bluest aether, And the vision of her calls every human heart. Chorus Her shadow is the forgotten mysteries And lives in the sadness of Celtic Twilight tales, When hearts wake again to the longing for forbidden lands, Or for the shining hosts of the Sidhe, Or for the caves of the hoary sleepers. Chorus The Celtic folk soul is the soul of a spiritual awakening, The touch of a Woman of Beauty who will Come into the hearts of men and women Like a flame upon dry grass, Like a flame of wind in a great wood. Light a candle to honour the Mother earth who gives to us all without any reward; reflect on your actions this year. Have you helped be a caretaker of the sacred land or have you taken without care? What can you give back to earth, how can you lessen your impact? Meditate on the beauty of nature and the role you play in her cycle. Breathe, be still and feel connected to the wonder of Nature. As you receive and give to the land feel the immense support of all the beings you share the earth with and when you are strong enough always remember to give back what you have received from the land and all its beings. Wishing you all a fruitful Lughnasdha. If you have enjoyed this article you may wish to subscribe to our free newsletter packed with articles and updates on trees, plants and nature connection.
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INDIGENOUS ROOTS AND WILDLIFE CORRIDORS. Left to Right - Hampshire - Yorkshire - Northamptonshire As I walk through a wheat field on Walderton Common which runs along the boundaries of Hampshire and West Sussex, I stop to gaze at a tractor ploughing the soil mobbed by the birds following it and I reflect on the timelessness of farming practice. Indeed, the tractor was once a horse which dragged the plough along, but the sight and scents continue in a similar manner and the rural countryside of England is where my indigenous rural roots are to be found. I need not travel to jungles or plains in distant places but to rolling downs, ancient woods and babbling brooks to discover the magic of my ancestral roots. Is my ancestors plight any different from the indigenous tribes from all around the world? Were they not wrenched from their homes and families to work in terrible conditions in polluted industrial areas to become the slaves of so-called progress? The earliest evidence of land clearance is in areas known as the planned countryside. For instance, the Yorkshire Wolds, an area of chalk downland was cleared as early as 7000BC by Mesolithic man. They created heaths and pasture for wild beasts that they consumed for food. These areas were maintained by the continued burning of the heaths to stop the trees returning. Later in the Neolithic period (5000BC) woodland was cleared permanently for agricultural use in areas such as East Anglia, Somerset and the Lake district. These areas had shallow more easily cultivated soils and were originally open-prairie farming field systems changed into small hedged fields by the enclosure acts of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The areas that were farmed early on in history stretch from York through the centre of England to the Dorset coast. They contain straight roads, regular fields and only a few isolated ancient features missed by the enclosure commissioners. John Claire, a famous poet from Northamptonshire in the East Midlands was deeply affected by the enclosure acts which he felt destroyed much of his beloved countryside where he lived. He wrote wonderful poetry which expressed a deep love of the English countryside. Old stone pits with veined ivy overhung Wild crooked brooks o’er which was rudely flung A rail and plank that bends beneath the tread Old narrow lanes where trees meet overhead Path stiles on which a steeple we espy Peeping and stretching in the distant sky And heaths o’erspread with furze blooms’ sunny shine Where wonder pauses to exclaim ‘divine’ Old ponds dim-shadowed with a broken tree – These are the picturesque of taste to me While paintings winds to make compleat the scene In rich confusion mingles every green Waving the sketching pencil in their hands Shading the living scenes to fairey lands John Clare Left to Right - Musk Mallow - Vervain - ST John's Wort - Red Bartsia
Continuing my journey on Walderton down I arrive at a threshold where the wheat field ends and the woodland starts. Here the magic happens as a sudden riot of colour disturbs the green grass and plumes of butterflies rise from the grass. The wheat is too barren, the wood too dark but the wildlife corridor between the two is a perfect mecca of biodiversity and a beautiful sight to behold. Fritillaries, holly blues, bright yellow brimstones, red admirals and peacock butterflies feed amongst wild marjoram and hawkbits. A closer look reveals the yellow stars of St John’s wort and delicate pink colouring of musk mallow blooms cluster together on a singular stalk. The tiny pink flowers of vervain are held on stiff stalks and I wonder how such a subtle plant captured the attention of the Celtic and Roman people for them to discover its use to assuage pain, treat nerves and calm stress. Speedwell and milkwort caress the grass with sky blue flowers just millimeters across as hemp agrimony and willowherbs stretch above them. Yellow and white bedstraws clamber for space whilst red bartsia and self heal decorate the edges. A single rest harrow flower hides behind the fleabane. As I enter the woods sweet woodruff foliage appears as enchanters nightshade and herb bennet grow around it. Lord and ladies' berries stand as a warning whilst herb Robert and hedge wound wort make use of a gap in the canopy. So much to discover, so much to see, my indigenous roots are nestled in the wildlife corridors of a rural England, for this is the place where chance decided I must be: ‘All the wild world is beautiful, and it matters but little where we go, to highlands or lowlands, woods or plains, on the sea or land or down among the crystals of waves or high in a balloon in the sky; through all the climates, hot or cold, storms and calms, everywhere and always we are in God's eternal beauty and love. So universally true is this, the spot where we chance to be always seems the best.’ John Muir If you have enjoyed this article you may wish to subscribe to our free newsletter packed with articles and updates on trees, plants and nature connection. Celebrating English WoodsLeft to right- Holly wood- Oak wood- Chestnut wood I enter an ancient woodland, there is no need to look for evidence of its age amongst ancient indicators of plant and landscape features for I feel it all around me in the giant bollings of oaks, the dominating foliage of sweet chestnut and in the exquisite old holly trees characteristic of England as Strawberry trees are of Ireland. As I have had a break from working and strolling in such woods I am amazed at the effect of these old woods. I find myself breathing deeper, standing taller and as every cell enlivens I note this cannot be recreated in a classroom or on a screen as it is too alive with presence. As always John Muir has the perfect words to describe this aliveness: 'Were trees mere mechanical sculptures what noble objects they would be! How much more throbbing, thrilling, overflowing, full of life in every fibre and cell, grand glowing silver rods- the very Gods of the plant kingdom, living their sublime centaury in sight of heaven, watched and loved and admired from generation to generation.' Left to Right- Ebernoe Common- Kingley Vale- West Dean Woods A visit to West Sussex reveals some exceptional woods. In the Sussex Weald there are two woodlands of notable wealth. Ebernoe Common and The Mens (German for common) which are remnants of an extensive woodland which once would have been at least 23,000 acres and created fuel for the iron industry since at least the Roman times producing around 500 tons of iron per year from 46,000 tons of coppiced wood. Since Anglo-Saxon times the Weald was one of the largest and wildest woods in England and is still one of the most densely wooded parts in England today. This demonstrates how woodlands in more industrial areas tend to survive. John Evelyn (Sylva- Trees and the Propagation of Timber 1664) blamed industry for the destruction of our woodlands and Andrew Yarranton stated in his writings of 1677 that trees were being planted in the Forest of Wyre for the production of iron! However Daniel Defoe (most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe) remarked that the woods in the weald were lost to agriculture long before the iron industry. Evidence supports Defoe’s theory far more than the former writers as woods today are far more prolific in areas that were used for industry. Areas of the Weald, Lake district, Forest of Dean and the Wyre Forest are amongst the most wooded areas of England and all have a history of Industrial use. The Mens has the richest lichen flora in the South East and one of the richest fungal floras in Britain. It is also notable for its diverse plant flora and fauna, again one of the best in Britain. Rare beetles thrive there as well as woodland butterflies. As we travel towards Chichester we come across West Dean Woods notable for its old coppice and profusion of wild daffodils in March, a notable ancient woodland indicator. In the newer woods one can see evidence of the medieval method of ploughing known as ridge and furrow. On the other side of Chichester on the back roads to Funtington is a very special area indeed. Situated in the Hamlet of west Stoke is Kingley Vale, the largest and most impressive Yew wood in Europe if not the world! Some of the Yew trees are at least 2000 years of age creating several groves of pure yew trees. The surrounding area is a delightful chalk downland with an array of striking wildflowers. The Yew trees are what we term as heritage or veteran trees meaning they have reached a stage in their lives known as ‘old age’, this is a specific and important stage in a tree’s life. Trees germinate from seeds and start life as a sapling before maturing to a stage known as ‘middle aged’. In middle age they have reached their maximum height and spread. A tree in middle age has a large income from its leaves which creates the energy a tree needs to lay down a ring of wood each year. However once a tree starts to die back its income is reduced (the leaves) and it can no longer meet its commitments ( growing a ring of wood each year) indicating it is in its final stage in life ‘old age’. When a tree is in this stage it is more supportive for wildlife than at any other time. Trees in old age often have burrs and bosses, crooks and crannies, elbows and knees, holes and crevices. Supporting hole-nesting birds, wild bees, bats and a myriad of invertebrates that make use of the above features often fashioned over hundreds of years. The time when a tree is in old age varies from species to species. Birch for instance is old at hundred years , ash and elm around 200 years and oak over 300 years. Yew is an exception as trees rarely live beyond 500 years if left to their own devices except yew which only just reaches old age at this time. The stage of old age is often the longest stage in a tree’s life. Yew has caused much confusion amongst experts as it is notoriously difficult to date. This is partly due to the fact that it has long periods of dormancy where its growth completely stops for hundreds of years. This means in that time it does not grow a ring of wood, the counting of which is often used to date a tree and it even confuses modern carbon dating. However piecing together historical records and using carbon dating has enabled experts to conclude that some of our oldest yew trees in Britain are around three to four thousand years old. The oldest Yew in Britain is said to be the Fortingall yew in Perthshire, Scotland estimated to be 5000 years old. Left to Right - Hollybank Woods - The New Forest, Hampshire- Windsor Forest
We now leave the county of West Sussex and go literally just over the border into Hampshire where we find remnants of the once vast wood known as the Forest of Bere. Hollybank Woods is situated in the village of Emsworth and is mainly a mixed broadleaved woodland with planted conifer stands in places. In the wetter areas it hosts many species of flower including hundreds of early purple orchids. The Forest of Bere once covered a vast area starting around the area of Emsworth and stretching down to another famous forest, the New Forest. In Saxon times it was known as the Forest of Baer( Baer meaning swine pasture) and was a series of commons creating an open landscape of trees, heathland, farmland , wood pasture and coppice. In Norman times it became a Royal Forest ( Forest of Bere) which is a hunting ground owned by the King and not necessarily woodland. In the forest the King has rights to all the game and this can include private land which is still part of the ‘legal’ Forest boundaries. The ‘legal’ Forest boundaries may double the size of the actual Forest owned by the King. Recently this woodland has been put under a coppice regime as volunteers cut back the trees in rotation. The main reason why many of our ancient woodlands do not support the the diverse flora and fauna that they once did is simply neglect and lack of management. Further remnants of the Forest of Bere are found in Wickham and possibly Waterlooville and Bedhampton. Finally we come to the largest remaining tract of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and Forest in South East England, the New Forest. The New Forest stretches across South West Hampshire and South East Wiltshire towards the East of Dorset. It is a unique survivor of the common land system, the least modified landscape in the whole of lowland Britain, the supreme place for lichen in Europe ( due to lack of acid rain) and home to 2/3 to 3/4 of the saproxylic* invertebrate population of Britain. *Saproxylic invertebrates are those animals without a vertebral column depending on dead or decaying wood. Sapros =dead xylos= wood. It was created in 1079 by King William the first and still 90% of the Forest is owned by the crown. Commoners and wealthy land owners alike often disliked the Forest system which meant certain rights were taken away. William’s sons, Prince Richard and William the second (William Rufus) both died in the wood creating the rumour their deaths were a punishment for the creation of the Royal Forest. Commoner’s rights were confirmed in 1698 and also in 1877 when the Navy tried to encroach on them. The common land system was an important system in rural England and enabled the land to be well –managed and its resources put to good use. Often the rich landowners would own the large trees and the land itself but in exchange for its maintenance the commoners were given certain rights and customs.* The New Forest is a living historical landscape, demonstrating the importance of preserving the Ancient Countryside for now and the future. *Commoner’s rights include: Right of Estovers (cutting of peat for fuel); Right of Turbary ( wood for fuel) ;Right of common of Marl ( digging of clay) Common of Mast ( Pannage= beech mast and acorns for pigs) and Common of pasture. Customs included the cutting of Bracken at the end of August for animal litter; Bee hives in July-September and the cutting of gorse and holly for winter browse for ponies and deer. All the woods we have explored thus have had a long history of woodland management demonstrating continued management is essential for these woodlands to survive and thrive. Coppicing and pollarding extend the life of individual trees and almost guarantee a healthier ecology in woods performed under sensitive management. Hazel, lime and ash trees rarely live much beyond 200 years of age yet once coppiced can live almost indefinitely with examples of stools ( the stumps and roots that remain after coppicing) that are 1000 years old. Pollarded trees are also known to live over a 1000 years such as the great oaks of Windsor Great Park. However early woodland management has also meant that there are no examples of ‘Wild Wood’ left in Britain today. How did these original woods look before they were managed and how they were formed is an important study to further understand our woodlands and their ecology today. If you have enjoyed this article you may wish to subscribe to our free newsletter packed with articles and updates on trees, plants and nature connection. Left to right - Field Scabious- Lady's bedstraw- Pyramidal orchid The joy of plants as I walked off the path into the chalk meadow at Stanmer Nature Reserve. When I arrived I was greeted by a storm of dust as builders dug and drilled at the entrance and beyond. In haste I nearly ran into the woods but instead stopped and walked into what appeared a field of grass. Then the magic happened as between the grass I saw fully developed scabious plants like the gentry of the plant kingdom with large blueish-lilac flowers known as blue bonnets or bachelor's buttons. I literally jumped for joy at the sight of vibrant pyramidal orchids amongst a matt of yellow bedstraw. Marbled white butterflies flitted from flower to flower to complete the delightful scene. I couldn't help ponder once more on John Muir's words as I walked just a little way from dusty, noisy human endeavour to the bliss of landscape : All the wild world is beautiful, and it matters but little where we go, to highlands or lowlands, woods or plains, on the sea or land or down among the crystals of waves or high in a balloon in the sky; through all the climates, hot or cold, storms and calms, everywhere and always we are in God's eternal beauty and love. So universally true is this, the spot where we chance to be always seems the best. Left to Right - Wild Carrot - Ribbed melilot- Restharrow- Agrimony
Stately wild carrot stood proud with slender agrimony and the bold displays of knapweed. The native peas included ribbed melilot, restharrow and some tufted vetch and the compact carpet of fragrant wild thyme weaved beneath them. My guide switched from marble white to a red admiral butterfly as I entered the woods and although not ancient still exuded that sweet stillness erupting from the throbbing, pulsing activity of sap rising in trees characteristic of summer months. The corky bark of elm and the smooth bark of hornbeam reminded me I was in Sussex rather than Hampshire woods. On the wooded edge meadow cranesbill adequately competed with the grass sward and wood avens and herb robert grew in the shadier areas. Out of the woods the flora changed to grey willows and vipers bugloss with a drift of ox-eye daisy followed by musk mallow, fleabane and bristly ox-tongue in more fertile grass-lands. As I run out of words to describe this nature reserve on the edge of a city I will leave you with one of my favourite plant poems which I have quoted in part before but here it is in its entirety: 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 evening - A hurdle race over the puce blossoms of the sow thistles. Am I late? Am I tired? Is my heart sealed from the ravening passion that will eat it out Till there is not one pure moment left? O the greater fleabane that grew at the back of the potato pit: I often trampled through it looking for rabbit burrows! The burnet saxifrage was there in profusion And the autumn gentian - I knew them all by name before I knew their names. We were in love before we were introduced. Let me not moralise or have remorse, for these names Purify a corner of my mind; I jump over them and rub them with my hands, And a free moment appears brand new and spacious Where I may live beyond the reach of desire. Patrick Kavanagh May Nature continue to inspire you wherever you happen to be! If you have enjoyed this article you may wish to subscribe to our free newsletter packed with articles and updates on trees, plants and nature connection. |
Poetry of flowersJoin me to explore the flora of the British Isles on this blog. My intention is to attempt to capture the unique quality and beauty of each species of flower, tree or shrub. For every species featured I will be growing many more wildflowers to celebrate the joy of their existence, their intrinsic conservation value and bewildering array of uses. For nearly 30 years I have noted, studied and explored wildflowers in the field much to the patience of the walker beside me. To share this passion is a heartfelt plea to respect, preserve and care for all British Wildflowers no matter how common they seem. Archives
July 2020
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