The nature on our doorstep

The plants in the pavement cracks

This week I published an episode about a proposed new GCSE in Natural History. It is the brainchild of the writer, conservationist and campaigner Mary Colwell and you can find out more about her story on the episode page. She is truly inspiring. Despite a myriad of setbacks and delays since her initial idea in 2011, she has kept on fighting to make this a reality.

Mary clearly remembers a moment when she saw a teenager crouch down and really look at a plant growing beside the pavement and says: “I saw the future”.

I put this clip on Instagram and I was contacted by another lady also called Mary, who told me about a group local to her, who chalk the names of wildflowers on the kerbside. A little further investigation by both of us and I am now in touch with a group called the ‘Rebel Botanists’ who have been described as: ‘a group of people, based in and around Plymouth, who are passionate about wild flowers and the crucial part they play in the biodiversity of wildlife and our own lives. They are not qualified botanists but want to raise awareness of the flora and fauna all around us. From the lone dandelion finding its way through a crack in the pavement to the mighty oak that has towered over people for centuries and the huge myriad of creatures that rely on them.’ So thank you to Mary Daly for this tip off and watch this space we might be learning a bit more about them.

Thank you also to Lorraine and Jane for contacting me about cacti experts! I might well be putting more of my research questions into this blog in future because it is great to get your help. I called this podcast ‘OUR’ plant stories for a reason. Still no news from San Diego zoo but I do now have some potential interviewees closer to home! I also have a positive ID for the cacti in the story from a man who found his love of Epiphyllum cacti by the self-same one, thanks to his grandmother when he was just 9 years old! He now runs a cacti shop and online business in Devon that has been going for over 40 years.

In other news I have begun volunteering in the garden of the Museum of Homelessness in Finsbury Park. For many years the museum didn’t have a home so this is a very exciting development. They also now have a garden which is being lovingly restored by the community. On Tuesday Jess, one of the founders, wrote our day’s plan on a piece of cardboard whilst we sat with our morning coffee and then we set to - weeding, planting, building paths, learning to propagate more plants. Jess and Matt provide lunch for everyone who comes to volunteer and I sat next to a lady from Columbia, whose love of this new garden was clear to see. Of course the conversation turned to plants in Columbia and she smiled as she talked about orchids that grow on trees (Epiphyllums!) and picking avocados. ‘The plants will tell you what they want’, she said and I thought of Nick saying just the same in the Fig tree Offshoot last year. We talked about gardening knowledge and where it comes from. There was no hesitation from her - it’s your parents and your grandparents - you just pick it up.

Mary Colwell quotes Rachel Carson the author of Silent Spring who said “every child needs someone to introduce them to nature” but in the absense of that - a GCSE in Natural History maybe the next best thing.

Have a lovely weekend

Sally

ps Can I ask you to consider doing one thing for the podcast this weekend? If you listen on Apple or Spotify and are enjoying what you hear, would you consider leaving a review? The algorithms get to work and Our Plant Stories will be offered to more people who like this kind of content. I know myself that I often mean to do this and then don’t so I challenged myself this week to leave reviews for two podcasts that I am listening to at the moment. I know it means a lot to creators but also I reallly want to get episodes like this GCSE one into more ears!