The Overview Effect
My thanks to Peter Noble for making me aware of the expression ‘Overview Effect’ (and for the kind feedback). Hi Tristan, Just to say thank…
My thanks to Peter Noble for making me aware of the expression ‘Overview Effect’ (and for the kind feedback). Hi Tristan, Just to say thank…
A big thank you to Waterstones for selecting How to Read a Tree as one of their ‘Paperbacks of the Year 2024’. You can explore…
Elephants’ toes are the nickname for the way the bottom of a tree trunk flares out towards the prevailing wind. In the video above and…
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…
When lightning strikes a tree, the high-voltage electricity flows through any water on the bark and through the sap under the bark. This heats the…
I receive quite a few emails asking whether my books are relevant for readers in the Southern Hemisphere. The answer is ‘yes’, but only if…
Which is the older of these two large trees? Clue: there are a few ways we can age trees, including one related to natural navigation.…
It was an honour and a great pleasure to get the chance to talk about reading tree signs with Justin Webb on BBC Radio 4’s…
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.
Only a couple of months until How to Read a Tree is born… Getting exciting now! Yesterday I spent a very enjoyable afternoon investigating trees…
Take a good look at this photo before reading on… Did you spot it? We notice anomalies, colours or shapes that don’t ‘fit’ – that…
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER THE AMAZON BESTSELLER THE OFFICIAL INDIE NO.1 BESTSELLER WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE MONTH Do two trees ever appear identical? No, but…
This is the UK cover of my latest book, How to Read a Tree. Hope you like it. It can be pre-ordered through the usual…
Sometimes natural navigation is more challenging than others. I’m often asked, “What is the most difficult place to navigate using nature?” I think people expect…
My thanks to Chris, who writes with some very interesting observations from the Kangasala region of Finland: “In the first picture (above), if you look…
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…
During a break from recording an audiobook, I visited the National Gallery, a major art museum in Trafalgar Square, London. It has been a long-running fascination…
Foxgloves – Digitalis purpurea – are a sign you are near the edge of the woods. The flowers point away from the trees.
Which direction are we looking in this photo taken in West Sussex, southeast UK? North, East, South or West? It’s a tough one. There are…
If you walk in or near woods regularly, you will have come across splotches of bright coloured paint on the tree trunks. What are they?…
If you like the look of a book, please do consider pre-ordering. Here are some really good reasons to a pre-order my latest book: 1)…