Wild Ideas
Our Seasonal Blog
Spring 2026
“Always I must have flowers, always and always” Claude Monet
At long last it finally feels that spring has truly arrived in Northumberland, with daffodils ready to burst into a glorious display of yellow, whilst the snowdrops still glisten whitely in drifts along the verges. In our garden at home, the hellebores are in full flower too and the scilla are starting to bloom, soon to be joined by hyacinths and snakes head fritillaries. We are reminded that colour is a wonderful healer in and of itself; something to be celebrated, as we shift from grey winter landscapes to spring growth.
Product of the month
This month Katrina would like to showcase our sweet mandarin hand cream:
“I originally formulated this hand cream to meet my own need for a really deeply nourishing and hydrating cream for hands that spend a lot of time gardening and doing housework! The cream uses an organic olive oil base, with added vegetable glycerine (an outstanding humectant i.e. it attracts and holds moisture), shea butter (included for its antioxidant, skin-softening, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties) and d-panthenol (also known as pro-vitamin B5, this promotes epidermal repair and protects the skin from external aggressors, whilst retaining water in the epidermis, providing deep, long-lasting hydration). Essential oils of sweet mandarin, sandalwood and rose otto provide a gently uplifting yet calming fragrance with added anti-inflammatory and antiseptic benefits. I haven’t yet calculated the number of applications in a 60ml pot, but it’s a lot, because the tiniest dab of this cream goes a very long way!
“The nicest, long-lasting fragrance I’ve found for a hand cream. A little goes a long way, and it rubs in well so no greasy feel. This is an absolute delight to use!”
Herb of the Month
Ross has chosen cowslip (Primula veris) as our herb for March
“Cowslip will soon be in bloom in our herb garden and it is a very welcome arrival in early Spring with its beautiful and uplifting presence.
It’s a herb that has a long history of medicinal use. Although rare in the wild (and best not collected), it can be grown easily.
Cowslip is calming to the nervous system and is an effective anti-spasmodic. It can help with insomnia and restlessness. We also use cowslip for irritating coughs and congestion in the lungs.
Although it is a shame to collect them, organically-cultivated flowers and leaves can be infused to make a pleasant tea. In herbal medicine the roots are often soaked in alcohol to make a tincture that can easily be prescribed.
At this time of year perhaps the most powerful medicine is to quietly sit in the Spring sunshine and appreciate these early flowers. Truly a remedy for mind, body and spirit.
