Changes

Moving house and gardening in a climate crisis

Author

Jake Rayson
September 12, 2023

We’re moving house in the next few weeks, which is up there with the biggest individual life changes. So this newsletter might not be delivered as efficiently and regularly as you have become accustomed to. (Who am I kidding?)

In other news, 2023 has seen ocean temperatures rising quite literally off the charts. And the wildfires in Canada have affected an area of 15.2m hectares versus the last 10 year average of 1.4m hectares. This is an area just under the size of Norway in flames. Meanwhile, global government subsisides for fossil fuels in 2022 were a record $7 trillion. If you were wondering when’s the right time to take climate action, it’s kind of now.

Talking about Gardening in a Crisis to a rapt audience

My small contribution to this gargantuan defining issue of humanity, which is fiendishly-complex-yet-simple (stop burning fossil fuels) is designing wildlife forest gardens, creating spaces to grow resilient crops for humans whilst providing diverse habitat for wildlife. I gave a talk as part of the Climate Matters event organised by Aberteifi/Cardigan Extinction Rebellion. The hopeful message was, humans can be a force for good. If you’re interested, the slides are available online natureworks.org.uk/talks/crisis

Forest garden photos

Hornet Mimic Hover Fly (I think) on Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum). Amazing wild flower.

Hoverflies on Daffodil Garlic (Allium neapolitanum)

Hoverfly on sedum

Recent photo of my Clifftop garden, fences by David Hunter of The Coppice Plot

More Hemp Agrimony, Swee Woodruff, Silverweed, rose 'Harlow Carr, Winter Honeysuckle, Sweet Peas and more!

My favourite nursery Celtic Wildflowers, just outside Swansea on the M4. Well worth a visit.

Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album)

Inspirational quote

“The self, the place where we live, is a place of illusion. Goodness is connected with the attempt to see the unself… to pierce the veil of selfish consciousness and join the world as it really is.”

Hire me

Wildlife and food forest garden designer natureworks.org.uk/design