Page 8 - Natural World Spring 2018
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people & wildlife
different wildflowers they had seen, There’s a they can see how much it means to
so I decided to try and focus it in an plant that’s me. It’s a really satisfying pursuit, and
hour. I wanted everyone to join in evolved to make you’re surrounded by beauty the
and just make the internet lovely. bees have whole time.
When I got ill, I wasn’t really involved sex with it!
in it. I came back a year later and it Why are some people not so
was trending every Sunday night! I Westminster, there’s always a enthusiastic about nature?
thought, ‘How has this happened?’ It random member of the daisy family I think the biggest problem is that
was set up on a whim! flowering somewhere, like sow thistle we’re really disconnected from it.
in a pavement crack. Some people think you have to go
People say it makes their Sunday 30 miles in a car to see nature, but
lovely, or it’s helped them with their How have your friends reacted to we don’t even notice nature at our
mental health problems. It’s your wildflower obsession? feet. Once in Glasgow, I was in a car
encouraged them to explore nature I really struggle with people who park and I noticed a scrubby patch
reserves that they’ve never been to don’t have hobbies. I don’t of land with birch trees, and I could
before. Lots of people are nervous understand how you can make your see some shapes that looked like
about joining in, but there is so much life that intentionally boring! There’s broad-leaved helleborines. So I crept
enthusiasm that they feel really so much to learn about. Who doesn’t into the undergrowth – getting some
welcome really quickly. think it’s interesting that there’s a pretty weird looks – and there were
plant that’s evolved to make bees hundreds of these beautiful plants
You do a 15-minute nature fix every have sex with it? Most of my friends growing under people’s noses.
day. How do you find the time? are never going to climb around
It’s about saying ‘no’ to stuff and looking for a dune helleborine, but People think that when they’ve
prioritising my 15 minutes in nature. finished school that’s it for learning,
I’d love to do everything I get that curiosity isn’t something to
offered, but I’d rather be mentally cultivate. There’s a fear of curiosity
well and those 15 minutes outside are and a fear of nature; people seem to
just more important. Even in be scared of going outdoors and
Isabel has loved the outdoors her
whole life. “I like mud, and being
close to trees.”
8 NATURAL WORLD spring 2018
