What started as a blog to document camping trips and bushcraft, took a turn deeper into nature, and particularly, flowers, when I became ill with ME and for a while was mostly housebound.
Since I started this blog, I've published over 800 posts ranging from flower IDs to research, from historic gardens to my activities as a town councillor and local volunteer.
During this time, I've gotten married, had two children, moved house, along with many other changes - but I always come back to this blog.
I want to thank everyone that's come along for the ride thus far - some of you have been here for around a decade!
At first glance, some hellebores are really nothing to look at, especially with face down to the soil as many have evolved to grow. This can often be extreme enough that those in a border may be dismissed as a clump of foliage or missed altogether. However, with a bit of attention, their beauty mesmerises, and they shine.
While hellebores are well grown in gardens as a reliable perennial herb, Britain is the native home to only two species, which are woodland plants: stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) and green hellebore (Helleborus viridis) known as green lily in Wiltshire.
Research published in 2010 discovered that yeast in the nectar of H. foetidus actually warms the flowers. As the yeast feed on the sugars within the nectar, their metabolic activity can raise the temperature of the flowers upwards of 2 °C above the ambient temperature. Bees show a preference for these heated flowers early in the season when temperatures are colder.
There is some traditional knowledge that I do not encourage you to attempt. In the past green hellebore has been used against worms in children. However, in 1762, two children died from such treatment at Fisherton Anger. It seems that they were treated with stinking hellebore, rather than green hellebore – perhaps showing that those in the past could be just as ignorant of the nature around them as some today. Further north, it is said that green hellebore was used to treat swollen udders in cows.
These days, I would suggest that hellebores are used purely for their aesthetic value as the plants are considered poisonous.
An interesting feature are the nectaries, which are the true petals on the plant and have evolved into tube-like structures to hold nectar for their pollinators, primarily bees and flies. These can be seen between the stamen and the sepals, which take over the petal's duty of being the 'showy' part of the plant.
There are so many variations of colour and designs of hellebore flowers, from white to chocolate and green to shades of pink.
The sepals of hellebores can remain on the plant well after the sexual parts of the flower have finished their job. They turn themselves to photosynthesis, possibly contributing energy to the development of the seeds.
The bulging seed cases, show that it's been a good year for the hellebores.
The robust seeds of the hellebore are apparently difficult to get going and even after 8 weeks in a fridge can take up to 18 months to fully germinate.
I am pleased to say that after emailing the Director of Council Services at Calne Town Council in September 2022, he agreed to the Council becoming a member of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
The Council have now affixed the strimmer warning stickers appropriate equipment.
The hedgehog species that you will see in Calne is the European Hedgehog, a vulnerable to extinction species with an expected lifespan of only 3 years.
It is critical that this species gets the support and exposure that it deserves, even with small acts, such as checking equipment and spaces before work is carried out.
The Lorax taught me that we can all fall victim to needing the new big thing. The thing that professes to be a magical thing that can help you improve your life. And that's ok - if it is something that's truly useful to you.
But we need to consider where it comes from and how it was made. An excellent example being the Forest Stewardship Council who ensure that wood with their logo is from woodland managed appropriately. More on FSC here.
It's also important to consider what you're going to do with your 'thneed' when it breaks or you want the new model: Recycle - Reuse - Reduce.
-2-
"I biggered my money, which everyone needs."
It's so easy to become so consumed with biggering everything around you; your money, hour house, your car. But this immediately makes me think of another quote often attributed to the Cree Indians:
Because of The Once-lers actions, the Lorax eventually has to move all of the forest creatures out. One of the things he says to The Once-ler is that:
"No one can sing who has smog in his throat."
London had the same problem with smog, including The Great Smog of 1952, which is thought to have killed at least 4000 people. Laws were put in place to ensure that this never happened again. But in Beijing, smog is now a very real and current problem. Although sadly, it seems that instead of sorting the cause of the problem out - they're using a workaround. If you haven't seen it yet - check out this big screen sunrise: https://world.time.com/2014/01/17/sunrise-in-smoggy-beijing/
"Well, I have my rights, sir, and I'm telling you.
I intend to go on doing just what I do!".
Human rights are frequently on the news and seem to allow us to do whatever we like - even to the astonishment to other humans. It's right, of course, that we have our rights, but so do the other inhabitants of the world. In the story the Lorax speaks for the trees.
In our world we have many organisations like the WWF, Greenpeace, etc that speak for nature. In the future we may find ourselves finally transcending up through the evolution of ethics to speaking for the animals, plants and even the rocks of the world - and finally the universe.
Volunteer with local action groups River Warriors Calne and Calne Clean Up Crew show your voice by litter picking, keeping the river clean, and planting trees.
But from where we're at right now, this just doesn't feel like enough - I have that feeling a lot. It brings me on to the final thing that the Lorax taught me...
-5-
"The word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear.
UNLESS someone like you care a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better. It's not."
I care. Many of us do. Life can be so difficult at times that thinking of the trees in the Amazon or some plant somewhere becoming exctict before anyone knew it even existed can seem so pointless. But it's not pointless. We can have an impact.
The Internet brings us closer to the things in life that we consider wonderful, whether that be the Kardashians or trees or both. There are many sites that carry environmental petitions, including the UK Government e-petition website. So even if signing a petition is all you have time and energy to do - please do it. Get your voice heard. Let people know that you do care.
The Lorax taught me that it's important to care. Even if like in the story, you only plant one tree - know that planting one tree is worthwhile. As a message to the people around you, including your kids, and for the wider benefit to us and the environment.
If you'd like to plant a tree - or a hundred trees - get in touch with Avon Needs Trees.
The things I've mentioned here are important and emotive. If there's anything you'd like to say, please add a comment. I enjoy hearing from you all.
Check out my favourite song from the animated version:
