Flora Folklore - the hidden stories of nature
I’m currently doing some research for stories to be told in a lovely inner city garden. As I want the stories to reflect something of the local flora and fauna as well as have some interesting meaning, I am trying to look for less familiar tales. So I have scoured the local libraries (and I do mean plural) for books on the plants and wild life of London, folklore and folk tales to do with the plants and animals of south east England, as well as myths and legends to do with nature.
But I had forgotten how easily I get sidetracked by interesting bits of information. One book in particular ‘Vickery’s Folk Flora’ by Roy Vickery has been very useful but also one of my triggers for wandering thought. A mention of a character, or a use for a herb, or even a familiar rhyme has me rummaging through my other books, or running into the garden to check for a plant, where I then see the ripe elderberries that need picking and have to rush back and look up the folk lore surrounding that plant. Then I have to photograph some plants so I don’t forget their bud or flower stage and well, those lovely raindrops on the leaves just have to be photographed too, etc, etc.
Needless to say, this has turned into a longer process than planned. I do now have copious notes on a huge variety of topics vaguely plant related. And yes, I do have a story that I have been able to pull together from assorted snippets. It is nearly ready to practice on my patient captive audience at home. Then final tweaking before I tell the story to the real world. It will be about the rose and the apple tree. Hopefully, I will have an audio or video clip of the story soon but please, don’t hold your breath. I’m sure I will be sidetracked a few times before it happens.
Why don’t you look up some of the stories and folk lore surrounding your local area and wildlife.
In the meantime, here are just a few of my research source books:
Vickery’s Folk Flora by Roy Vickery
One for Sorrow … A Book of Old-Fashioned Lore by Chloe Rhodes
Hollow Places - An Unusual History of Land and Legend by Christopher Hadley
Londonopolis - A curious history of London by Martin Latham
London’s Stranges Tales: The Thames by Iain Spragg
Wordsworth Classics English Fairy Tales illustrated by Arthur Rackham
Boggarts, Trolls and Tylwyth Teg by Peter Stevenson