How to Sense Invisible Animals
We can sense invisible animals by keeping a look out for the ‘shimmy’. The shimmy is my name for the way we can sense animals…
Tag: leaves
The ‘Leaves on the Line’ Problem
For many years, British commuters have found themselves caught between bemused laughter and rage when told their train isn’t running because of ‘leaves on the…
Woodland Trust Ambassador Paperback Launch
Hi, I’m Tristan Gooley and I’m very proud to be a Woodland Trust Ambassador. I’ve spent decades researching, teaching and writing about clues and signs…
Why Are Some Leaves Hairy?
Hairs protect a leaf from drying, cold and animals. They are common in spring. On many plants there are tiny hairs that trap a thin…
Which Way Are We Looking? Bramble Leaf Edition
I took the photo above in the south of England recently. What Direction Are We Looking? Answer below. ANSWER… We are looking… NORTH. Leaves orient…
The Tree Lady Talks Podcast
I had a fun chat with Sharon Durdant-Hollamby, past President of the Institute of Chartered Foresters, Director of Sharon Hosegood Associates, experienced chair, presenter, and…
Autumn Appears First in High Southern Leaves
Autumn / Fall appears first in the highest leaves on the warmer southern side of the tree. More on this and other seasonal signs in…
Leaves are a Lighter Colour in Early Spring
The first leaves in spring are much lighter in colour than those of summer. As the seasons progress, the leaves have a higher concentration of…
Spring Starts Low in Trees
Leaves burst out earliest low down in the smallest trees and lowest branches. For more seasonal tree signs, please see How to Read a Tree.
How Do Trees Know When It’s Spring
How Do Trees Know When It’s Spring? Broadleaf trees have to work out the best time to come into leaf each year, they need to…
The Gower Peninsula
I’m recently back from a 4-day series of natural navigation exercises on the wonderful Gower Peninsula, in South Wales. To see photos and videos of…
The Stickiness of Water
Water rises up and forms individual droplets on leaves because it is ‘sticky’, it is literally attracted to itself. The hydrogen atoms in each molecule…
The Golden Leyland Cypress
My thanks to regular correspondent, Alban Cambe, for these excellent images. Which direction are we looking in the top picture above? Regular readers will spot…
What is a Frost Hollow?
A frost hollow is a local low point in a landscape where cold dense air collects overnight. It is also known as a ‘frost pocket’.…
The Wood Anemone – Anemone nermorosa
The Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) is a pretty perennial wildflower of damp deciduous woodland, scrub, hedgerows and ditches. It has earned the nickname ‘windflower’, possibly…
Water-pepper, Persicaria hydropiper
Water-pepper, Persicaria hydropiper, is a bitter tasting map-maker. It is an inconspicuous annual plant, but it is useful to natural navigators. It grows up to…
Alder Trees – A Sign of Water Nearby
The common alder – Alnus glutinosa – is a small tree that grows up to about 25 metres. It is native in the UK and…
How to Find Your Way with Tree Leaves
Earlier I showed how it is possible to find your way using the colour of tree leaves. Now I’d like to show you how to…
Anthocyanins, Sunlight and Navigation
It is that time of year. As the other pigments are drawn back into the plant, the red, orange and yellows of the anthocyanin compounds…
Equinoctial Gales
There is a widely held and strong belief that gales are more frequent at the equinoxes, but the observations don’t really support this. According to…
Why are some leaves red?
Why are some leaves red and what does it mean? We assume leaves to be green, but also notice how there are exceptions – we…