by Ruby Taylor | Mar 9, 2017 | All Journal Entries, Foraging, Wild Basketry
‘Plants are integral to reweaving the connection between land and people. A place becomes a home when it sustains you, when it feeds you in body as well as spirit.’ (Robin Wall Kimmerer) There’s an arable field margin under two ancient oaks that is species-rich with...
by Ruby Taylor | Jul 29, 2015 | All Journal Entries, Courses, Foraging
It’s a busy time for foraging plant materials right now. The plants have made all the vegetative growth they’re going to make this year. And now they’re setting seed. Over the past months I’ve logged key spots in my mental map of the neighbourhood, spots where certain...
by Ruby Taylor | Jul 18, 2015 | All Journal Entries, Courses, Foraging, Stonehenge / Heritage, Wild Basketry
During the Neolithic time at Stonehenge, there would have been willows growing on the banks of the river Avon, which ran right by the houses situated at nearby Durrington Walls. These are the Neolithic dwellings that have been reconstructed at Stonehenge visitors...
by Ruby Taylor | Jun 25, 2015 | All Journal Entries, Foraging, Stonehenge / Heritage, Wild Basketry
I’m delighted to have been invited by English Heritage to run some staff training at Stonehenge in Neolithic-style basketry. They recently constructed a number of Neolithic style dwellings on site (pictured left)… and it’s there that I’ll be...
by Ruby Taylor | Dec 21, 2014 | All Journal Entries, Foraging, Wakehurst: artist in residence
The Green Bough. “Keep a green bough in your heart and a singing bird will come” Lao Tzu. It’s mid December, a bright cold day, and I’m back at Wakehurst to collect the written messages tied to the wattled walls of the timber-framed building...
by Ruby Taylor | Aug 16, 2014 | All Journal Entries, Foraging, Wakehurst: artist in residence
Connections: ropes and a robin. I first came across Jon Young about 5 years ago. He’s a renowned mentor for nature connection and community-building, and is also a published author. He has a long-standing connection with a community of Kalahari Bushmen, who are still...