British trees , Wildlife & Nature The power of the elder June 21, 2019 A guardian of half-forgotten places, the elder's magic is both old and dark...
British trees , Wildlife & Nature Sycamore: colonist or custodian? October 06, 2017 Often seen as an intruder in old woodlands, the sycamore still deserves a second glance for its beauty - and …
Wildlife & Nature Ballachuan hazel wood May 11, 2016 I've never walked through a woodland quite like this one: the ancient hazel wood of Ballachuan on the island …
Wildlife & Nature Marsh marigold: the yellow plant of Beltane April 29, 2016 Lighting up wetlands and boggy places, kingcup flowers are dazzling in their brilliance
Reviews Book review: ‘The Rainforests of Britain and Ireland’ by Clifton Bain April 21, 2016 You might remember that, back in the summer of last year, I wrote about the oak woods of Taynish in …
Wildlife & Nature Lesser celandine: greeting the sun March 15, 2016 Star-like flowers of pure yellow welcome the first spring sunshine
British trees , Wildlife & Nature The fragrance of juniper November 29, 2015 Since the end of the last Ice Age, juniper has been colonising open areas of land and offering shelter to …
British trees , Wildlife & Nature The spirit of the alder August 23, 2015 Lover of riverbanks and boggy places, the alder forms a close bond between earth and water. No wonder …
Wildlife & Nature The dog rose August 15, 2015 Evoking long summer days and warm sunshine, these glorious blooms will soon be turning into bright red hips
Reviews A new treasure: ‘Trees and How They Grow’ by G Clarke Nuttall May 25, 2015 At a show last weekend I picked up this gorgeous old book from a second-hand book stall. Written by Gertrude Clarke Nuttall, …
British trees , Wildlife & Nature A wand of hazel February 20, 2015 For their valuable source of food and their versatile building material, hazel trees have been prized since the dawn of …
Wildlife & Nature For the love of mistletoe November 30, 2014 What lies behind our long-standing affection for mistletoe's pure white berries?
Wildlife & Nature The plants of Dollar Glen September 15, 2014 Following my feature on the Trees of Dollar Glen, I'm taking a look at its lovely array of wild plants …
Wildlife & Nature In a nutshell: the oystercatcher September 12, 2014 A lovely strand of folklore is attached to this much-loved shore bird
Wildlife & Nature The trees of Dollar Glen August 25, 2014 At Dollar Glen in Clackmannanshire, a steep-sided gorge contains an emerald world where the trees bend their mossy branches to …
Geology A surprise find on Seacliff beach August 13, 2014 The beach below Tantallon Castle is full of fascinating rocks… and this has to be one of my best finds …
