The Spirit of the Hedgerow

Since the beginning of human history, our ancestral roots and those of the hedgerows have been intimately entangled. Now, often forgotten amongst the hedgerows, the ‘wild weeds’ still offer amazing medicinal opportunities, delicious sources of food and fascinating legends of our past. Many of the secrets of our history lie hidden in the stories of these plants. Our ancestors, living in harmony with the cycles of nature, knew how to prepare wild food, prepare remedies, make protective talismans and so much more. But we have lost our connection with the magic of nature… In this fascinating and unique book, richly illustrated, Jo Dunbar shows us what we so often miss in the beauty all around us. We learn here which plants to pick (or avoid!) and how to use them for ourselves. And woven in with this are the ancient stories and folklore of the countryside, firing our imagination and helping us to communicate in a real way with our natural environment. Jo has been practising as a medical herbalist since 1999 and is the founder of Botanica Medica Herbal Apothecary. It was through growing and collecting the herbs for her apothecaries that she developed a personal relationship with hedgerow plants and trees. This love of nature led her also to follow the Druidic path, honouring all lifeforms on Earth as well as the cycles of the year. Jo grew up in South Africa where she first studied horticulture and worked with Xhosa men who taught her about indigenous plants and how they are used magically and medically. She now lives in Hampshire, England, and is the author of How to Cope Successfully with Candida (Wellhouse Publishing Ltd, 2003) and the self-published Recovering from Stress, Burn Out and Fatigue.