Ali, loved reading all of this! It is so great. I have been inviting nettles into my garden for 3 years now and alas they have arrived this year in 3 spots and I am delighted. I quite like the wee sting as it is good for circulation! Although I find when I gather mindfully and ask permission from the plant I rarely get stung! Isn't it just gorgeous seeing everything springing to life and these beautiful plants inbetween?! X
I didn't get one sting either gathering or preparing the nettles, which really surprised me. I put it down to my delight at their arrival! I made soup with them, and it was delicious. I just didn't have time to take photos and add to the post before it went out, but will add the photos to my next post. I'm so glad they are now gracing your garden too. I am finding lots of plants growing here this year that haven't been here before, and I am lifting some and transferring to flower beds to make sure they survive, as many are appearing in the patch of grass we keep short, so we can use it. I didn't think it would work, that they would die, but so far I have moved rosebay willowherb, cuckoo flower, and forget me not, and all are thriving! Cleavers is popping up all over the place this year, I even found it growing through my woodland path, so had to remove it, but luckily they were young plants with shallow roots. Some of these plants take the invitation a bit too far! 🤣 Maybe I need to be clearer when setting my intentions!
Would Brigit wear gold hoops? Or possibly pearls? She's coming along! Sending photos to your email this week when a neighbor will help me post them. Of course, she has glorious red hair, but does she braid it or let it down?
Judging by the amount of ancient gold jewellery on display in the National museum, she most definitely did! Pearls... probably not, amber beads, yes. She would probably have worn a brooch securing her cloak, too. For practical reasons, most women probably wore their hair simply braided or tied to keep it out of the way during daily tasks, with more elaborate styles for special occasions. I can't wait to see her!
I spent the best part of yesterday afternoon trying to eradicate the cleavers! Must have pulled up enough to stuff a mattress. Now I know what I can do with it apart from setting light to it :) Incidentally, I've been finding two different kinds of the stuff, a pale green that's quite tender-looking, and a deeper green, sharper tougher kind that's prickly, more like butcher's broom and irritates the skin.
There are quite a few different types in the plant family, I gather. Have a look on the Wildflowers of Ireland website to see if you can identify it. I'm keeping an eye on mine, And the nettles, don't want them taking over like the brambles did. Ugh that stuff is impossible to get rid of. The fruit is no longer a consolation. But yes, at least there are uses for cleavers. Hope all is good with you, Jane. X
Brambles are impossible, though I believe pigs will eat them. Not sure I’m up to taking on a herd of pigs though! I like to keep some bramble brakes though for the hares and whatever. Dogs won’t go in there after them, and the bambis like to hole up there too.
We used to see them often in the daytime, but they come round more often at night to eat the saplings. It’s generally quiet out there at night, except for the fox and the bloody nightingales. The badgers and wild boar don’t usually make a noise even though we find their prints very close to the house.
Reassuring to know they are still out there. We haven't killed off quite everything yet. Oh... further to our other conversation, Carys has gone into respite today, so even though the sun is shining, I'm gonna let the garden look after itself and have a whole uninterrupted writing day!
I just love it that you're studying herbs! My first experience with nettles was in Ireland, walking into a small stone circle in Co. Wicklow, and ignorantly sitting down in them. I was really sorry as my hands and arms suddenly began burning! LOL I know they grow here in the US, and even here in Texas, but I haven't spotted them. I do buy the dried for tea.
Oh Robin, that must have been so painful! You poor thing! I can't imagine nettle not being rampant everywhere in the world like it is here. It's very hard to get rid of once it sets in, so I noticed it with a bit of trepidation, but decided to welcome it for its gifts. I will remove some of the flowers before they turn to seed to try and control it a bit. Thanks for reading and commenting. I appreciate it and think of you often. There might be a bit of a surprise in my next post, if I can get my act together. I'm behind with everything at the moment! 🤣... I should be used to it by now!
Ali, loved reading all of this! It is so great. I have been inviting nettles into my garden for 3 years now and alas they have arrived this year in 3 spots and I am delighted. I quite like the wee sting as it is good for circulation! Although I find when I gather mindfully and ask permission from the plant I rarely get stung! Isn't it just gorgeous seeing everything springing to life and these beautiful plants inbetween?! X
I didn't get one sting either gathering or preparing the nettles, which really surprised me. I put it down to my delight at their arrival! I made soup with them, and it was delicious. I just didn't have time to take photos and add to the post before it went out, but will add the photos to my next post. I'm so glad they are now gracing your garden too. I am finding lots of plants growing here this year that haven't been here before, and I am lifting some and transferring to flower beds to make sure they survive, as many are appearing in the patch of grass we keep short, so we can use it. I didn't think it would work, that they would die, but so far I have moved rosebay willowherb, cuckoo flower, and forget me not, and all are thriving! Cleavers is popping up all over the place this year, I even found it growing through my woodland path, so had to remove it, but luckily they were young plants with shallow roots. Some of these plants take the invitation a bit too far! 🤣 Maybe I need to be clearer when setting my intentions!
Would Brigit wear gold hoops? Or possibly pearls? She's coming along! Sending photos to your email this week when a neighbor will help me post them. Of course, she has glorious red hair, but does she braid it or let it down?
Judging by the amount of ancient gold jewellery on display in the National museum, she most definitely did! Pearls... probably not, amber beads, yes. She would probably have worn a brooch securing her cloak, too. For practical reasons, most women probably wore their hair simply braided or tied to keep it out of the way during daily tasks, with more elaborate styles for special occasions. I can't wait to see her!
I spent the best part of yesterday afternoon trying to eradicate the cleavers! Must have pulled up enough to stuff a mattress. Now I know what I can do with it apart from setting light to it :) Incidentally, I've been finding two different kinds of the stuff, a pale green that's quite tender-looking, and a deeper green, sharper tougher kind that's prickly, more like butcher's broom and irritates the skin.
There are quite a few different types in the plant family, I gather. Have a look on the Wildflowers of Ireland website to see if you can identify it. I'm keeping an eye on mine, And the nettles, don't want them taking over like the brambles did. Ugh that stuff is impossible to get rid of. The fruit is no longer a consolation. But yes, at least there are uses for cleavers. Hope all is good with you, Jane. X
Brambles are impossible, though I believe pigs will eat them. Not sure I’m up to taking on a herd of pigs though! I like to keep some bramble brakes though for the hares and whatever. Dogs won’t go in there after them, and the bambis like to hole up there too.
You have bambis? How lovely! Used to have hares pass through my garden, but not seen any for a long time. Or rabbits. At least we still have birds.
We used to see them often in the daytime, but they come round more often at night to eat the saplings. It’s generally quiet out there at night, except for the fox and the bloody nightingales. The badgers and wild boar don’t usually make a noise even though we find their prints very close to the house.
Reassuring to know they are still out there. We haven't killed off quite everything yet. Oh... further to our other conversation, Carys has gone into respite today, so even though the sun is shining, I'm gonna let the garden look after itself and have a whole uninterrupted writing day!
She likes her new place, you said, so you’ll both have a great day. Enjoy the sunshine!
I just love it that you're studying herbs! My first experience with nettles was in Ireland, walking into a small stone circle in Co. Wicklow, and ignorantly sitting down in them. I was really sorry as my hands and arms suddenly began burning! LOL I know they grow here in the US, and even here in Texas, but I haven't spotted them. I do buy the dried for tea.
Oh Robin, that must have been so painful! You poor thing! I can't imagine nettle not being rampant everywhere in the world like it is here. It's very hard to get rid of once it sets in, so I noticed it with a bit of trepidation, but decided to welcome it for its gifts. I will remove some of the flowers before they turn to seed to try and control it a bit. Thanks for reading and commenting. I appreciate it and think of you often. There might be a bit of a surprise in my next post, if I can get my act together. I'm behind with everything at the moment! 🤣... I should be used to it by now!