Noticing Nature, Nature as Teacher.
February Calendar Plant: Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
Calendar Plants.
Inspired by the reading of The Serviceberry, where Robin Wall Kimmerer references the Serviceberry as a calendar plant, I had developed my almanac of local and native plants that I shared on Regen Notes at the start of this year, exploring what can calendar plants teach us as individuals. What are the biomimicry aspects for organisations? From a soul-centred perspective, what are the deeper, cultural and ecological lessons they teach?
“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” - Rachel Carson
The Blackthorn.
The February calendar plant is the Blackthorn, and after days of watching at the end of the month for the Blackthorn to blossom, ki finally did so on the 3 March. Here are my regen notes on Blackthorn:
Blackthorn Snow. Foretelling of a Blackthorn Winter. A period of cold return to winter
Before its leaves emerge, the Blackthorn will erupt into clouds of pristine white blossoms. Delicate flowers as a contrast to the plant’s dark, black and formidable (to us) thorny branches. Such early blooms are vital for early pollinators and give thought to the later sloe berry gift.
Early March and spring is now a culture of constant acceleration. The Blackthorn tells of an ancient wisdom that presence is not about doing more, but about belonging more deeply. Past, Current and Future interconnected.
These early blossoms symbiotically synchronised to feed emerging pollinators, show that individual flourishing is collective. Noticing nature gives us time and space for reflection on bringing ecosystem thinking into our business and individual planning. Recognising interdependence and interconnectivity as a primary strategy. Designing for mutual flourishing.
Deeply embedded in Celtic folklore, blackthorn is strongly associated with darkness, the unknown, fear and mystery. It gives both protection and dark magic. It was believed to be a witch’s walking stick, symbolising harm and defence. In traditions, it represents difficult passages that are thorny and challenging but ultimately transformative. Walking sticks made from blackthorn are prized by shepherds and travellers, symbolizing resilience and protection.
... and yet, in early spring, it is the very epitome of brightness, of beauty and expansion.
It was Gilbert White back in 1773 who first recorded the pattern of the Blackthorn winter. Gilbert White recorded nature diary entries daily from 1751 to 1793. As Richard Maybe commented in the Introduction to Gilbert White’s Year, White saw the diaries as his intellectual ledger where he took stock of his understanding of the world around him. On the 7th April of that year he journaled:
Prunus spinosa. The black-thorn begins to blow. This tree usually blossoms while cold N.E. winds blow: so that the harsh rugged weather obtaining at this season is called by the country people black-thorn winter.
Interconnected.
Imagine for a moment not just observing nature, but becoming a participant in an ongoing conversation.
Such interconnectedness reveals how deeply intertwined our native plants are with our identity - not just ecological markers, but living repositories of folklore, medicine, spiritual belief, community and organisational practice. Living calendars, as intricate timekeepers pulse with seasonal rhythms.
An invitation to dance.
Noticing nature through a calendar of plants offers a profound antidote to the fragmentation of modern life. An invitation to slow down. To observe with curiosity. To comprehend time as circular rather than linear and to better understand ourselves as part of, not separate from, the living world.
Each plant in the calendar is an invitation to presence. When we pause to observe the Blackthorn's delicate flowering, we’re not just seeing a plant, but experiencing a profound lesson in patience and potential. In paying attention, we’re connecting and practising a form of ecological mindfulness that goes beyond individual wellness. We become witnesses and participants in the much larger ecological narrative.
The blackthorn whispers.
A teacher. The Blackthorn can be heard whispering, True strategy is not about control, but about creating intelligent, responsive spaces where potential can unfold. We are not designing for a predictable future, but cultivating capacities for radical adaptability.
Before you go …
Rekindling wonder … Zoom Regenerative 71 on 18th March
Rekindling Wonder: Creativity, storybooks, and personal regeneration with Fiona Gray
“This session introduces a new storybook that offers a hopeful tale for children growing up disconnected from nature. We’ll explore the creative process behind it and how creativity can be a path to personal regeneration. It is an invitation to rekindle wonder and reconnect with the child within us all”
Join us for inspiring regenerative conversation - More details and registration
Zoom Regenerative. Living on Planet Earth. Locally.
"It has always been a radical act to tell stories during dark times. They are the regenerative spaces of creation and renewal. As we experience a loss of connection to the Earth we share stories that explore the timeless connections between ecology, culture and spirituality."
... text from Emergence Magazine that inspired Zoom Regenerative into being way back in 2020
Please do share more of your plant calendar journal. Very much enjoyed this.