Hannah Gallagher and Laura Buchanan are co-authors of Wild Things, a book celebrating the diverse flora and fauna that inhabit our local environments. Here, Hannah shares her love of the wild things all around us …
As I write this, I am cradling my baby girl who was born into this world eight days ago. I hold her close as she follows her natural inbuilt instincts – to nurture and nourish, to rest and grow, to observe and absorb the world around her. The joy of watching this happen brings a great sense of wonder and peace.
As we cocoon together during these precious days, my gaze drifts from her sleepy brow out the window and into our garden. At this moment, our lawn is in full meadow bloom. We are profiting from a “no mow” summer, my favourite time of year in the garden. The simple act of standing back and reducing interference, and instead allowing nature to steer its own course and take flight – this is where the magic and the miracle of mother nature takes place. By letting our spaces be, we unlock possibilities. We invite life in.
A gentle birth of wild flowers and friendly wildlife now blankets our garden. Our lawn gently sways with long grasses, white and red clover, bird’s foot trefoil and the most stunning wild marsh orchids. I spot buttercups and sow thistles, daisies, hawk’s beard and plantain. And amongst all of that beauty and colour, bees float from flower to flower. Small moths flutter by and gold finches perch to feed on seed heads. Even our resident magpies enjoy stomping through the long growth to hide their snacks for later enjoyment. All of these wild things, living and breathing, bringing nourishment, nurturing one another, supporting growth and sustaining life.
Observing all of this brings home the power of nature as it unfurls both in my arms and outside my window. Nothing planted, nothing manicured or moved. Just beautiful wild flowers growing where it feels good for them to grow, where the land provides for them what they need, and in return they provide for wildlife in search of shelter and food on this little patch of land.
And all of a sudden, without any effort, there is a rich community of wild things on your doorstep. A chance to get to know them and to forge a friendship with them is born. Laura and I created our book Wild Things with this idea of friendship with nature at its core. We brought together the beauty and the stories of some of our favourite wild things, to bring us closer to each one, to consider them as friendly characters, our neighbours, each one an individual with a soul and a purpose. To know nature and observe how it unfolds is one of life’s greatest gifts. No need to travel further than your own back garden to experience this. Simply give space, sit back and watch in awe.
‘Wild Things’ is available from www.folklor.ie and select bookstores nationwide.