Nature Where You Least Expect It
Find the plants growing through the cracks in the pavement
I’ve hardly been outside for the past couple of weeks and it is starting to get to me! A combination of having a dog who is recovering from surgery and two huge freelance jobs coming along at once means I have spent a lot of time stuck inside, staring at my screen and my regular walking spots have been hugely neglected. Don’t even talk to me about the allotment…
That being said, on mine and Noushi’s short walks around the block we have noticed nature everywhere. So-called weeds growing through cracks in the asphalt, geraniums confetti-like on grass verges, moody skies above, wisteria-adorned doorways and chatty house sparrows nesting in a hole in my neighbours’ wall.
So, my prompt for you this week is to look for nature where you least expect it. Go on a walk in an urban environment and see what catches your eye. Maybe your neighbours have some impressive flowers in their front garden, your local playground is dotted with edible weeds, an urban fox crosses your path or you find a new-to-you moss growing on a brick wall. Depending on where you live you could even spot something truly impressive - like a peregrine falcon (see the Good News section below for more context on this!).
One of my favourite activities to do on nature walks is encourage people to really look at a patch of grass - most of the ones I’ve come across actually contain several species, many of which will be in flower right now.
If in doubt, look up. Even in the most urban environments there will be something to admire in the sky, whether it’s a floofy cloud, a screaming swift (or possibly a one-legged pigeon) or a bright moon.
One of the jobs I’ve been working on this week is for The Happy Newspaper and I was pleased to be able to include this story about peregrine falcons nesting in urban locations around the UK. I’ll pop the links to the live streams below so you can watch the chicks in action (or more realistically based on what I have seen, not doing very much at all other than looking cute and fluffy)…
University of Leeds peregrine live cam / St Albans Cathedral peregrine live cam / Ealing Hospital peregrine live cam
I've just been thinking about the weeds growing through sidewalk cracks around my neighborhood, and the patterns that sometimes emerge. Also you may have seen this but I can't resist passing along (not weeds): https://streetartutopia.com/2024/04/28/kindergarten-children-dropped-seeds-in-the-crack-of-the-sidewalk-to-see-what-would-happen/
Today I found a beautiful crimson self-seeded geum which had planted itself in a corner of the yard which I was about to weed with my usual salt and vinegar potion... it had escaped from the flower bed where I had forgotten I had planted it. I have now weeded well away from it, watered it and just hope it survives. Nature - magic isn't it!