Suzanne Askham

Embrace Nature: February Activities for Wellbeing

There’s a tree in my garden that has been shaped by south-westerly gales, like those wind-twisted trees you see in places like Dartmoor. But my tree is not as hardy as its native cousins and might not have survived this long except for one simple fact. One year, somebody hung a bird feeder in its branches. Then another, and another, until that tree became a feeding post for countless winged visitors who by way of ‘thank you’ regularly fertilise the ground below. As a result the tree is strong and healthy, and gives a glorious display of flowers and fruit each year (the fruit being its own ‘thank you’ to the birds).

So that’s the first of three soul-nourishing things to do in February: hang a bird feeder, or another bird feeder, in a favourite tree.

Second is to go forest bathing, aka walking in local woodland. February in England, we get to see the first shoots of wild garlic, while heavenly drifts of snowdrops are at their peak. If you’re looking for walking companions, The Ramblers are a good resource across the UK. 

Third is to apply nature’s seasonal messages to yourself, on the basis that we are, of course, as much a part of nature as those early spring flowers. What, in you, is just beginning to bud or unfurl? Perhaps in your heart of hearts there’s something you’d love to create, but self-doubt has held you back? According to nature’s calendar, now is the perfect time to take that vital first step.  

Picture: Snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii