For the love of Nettles...
And the vibrancy of spring
Spring is my favourite time of the year here on the Isle of Eigg. The landscape suddenly goes from russet tones to a vibrant spectrum of different greens, purples, yellows and pinks. I feel my energy rising like the sap…fed and nourished by the landscape: emotionally, spiritually and physically. Drinking it up like juice.
It’s the time of year that I start seeing plants in my minds eye as I fall asleep. Blue alkanet, bluebells, primroses, wild garlic and nettles.
In particular, this year, I’ve been exploring my love for common nettles…
Having recently finished a PhD about the potential threats and benefits of foraging, vis-à-vis biodiversity conservation, I feel that plants like nettles are important to include in any garden or land management plan. Rather than spraying them, let’s explore how they are beneficial in so many ways, for humans and non-humans:
They have been a source of food since prehistoric times. They are known by herbalists to be anti-inflammatory and also beneficial for women’s health. They can be infused in a tea or eaten in soups.
They have a rich mineral content, providing more nutrients than many farmed veggies - particularly in iron.
Red Admiral, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies lay their eggs on them, making them important habitats for wildlife and biodiversity.
They can be used as a mulch or fertilizer for the soil.
In the summer their stems can be made into cordage and they can also be spun to make fiber. Check out the documentary film The Nettle Dress to see how it’s done (great doc!).
Their seeds harvested for a nutrient-dense sprinkle.
My view as a forager and a researcher is that we can live well with plants like nettles if we see ourselves as part of a more-than-human collective in which we are interdependent with other species, like nettles. Caring and nourishing ourselves means caring and nourishing even those plants we may see as weeds.
That links in very nicely with the Spring intention Naomi (co-facilitator) and I set at the Wild Well Beings Spring retreat: “We are nourishing Life”…and nourished by life.
I leave you now with some upcoming events including foraging and/or reflective time in nature and some interesting links:
Upcoming events:
Weave, Gather & Make Retreat, Isle of Eigg: 18th-22nd May
Join Laurie King and basket makers from All About Willow, Catherine Davies and Pascal Carr, for a creative retreat on the beautiful Isle of Eigg. This retreat offers practical ways to connect with nature through willow weaving, gathering and botanical printmaking, alongside mindfulness and foraging walks.
FULLY BOOKED.
Wild Well Beings Summer Retreat, Ruscombe, Glos, 7th-8th June
Join us in beautiful Gloucestershire as we consciously connect to the shift from spring to summer. Summer brings with it many qualities and gifts that can mirror our personal journeys, and help us tap into what we truly need in our lives for personal growth and wellbeing, in service of all Life.
There are still a few places left and you can find out more here.
Forage, Walk, Draw & Print, Isle of Eigg, 18th-22nd September
Join Laurie King and printmaker Jemma Gunning for a four-night creative retreat on the captivating Isle of Eigg. Explore and grow your drawing and printmaking skills while immersing yourself in the breathtaking trails, plants, and landscapes of this remote island.
There are still a few places left and you can find out more here.
Links and references
The Nettle Dress (documentary film)
Flora Britannica by Richard Mabey
Weeds in the heart by Nathaniel Hughes and Fiona Owen
Foraging is wonderful if done mindfully, as you’re practicing it. The trouble is unfortunately that people have no sense of balance. They may entirely ignore for lack of knowledge, or take all they can find or - the worst kind - kill it all from their gardens. I have several patches of nettles and if they ever grow too large, it simply remove some. But I love them for their look, their importance for insects, and even for the way they move in the wind.