gathered: hellebores

I have always loved having a bit of the outdoors, indoors. Flowers in season even if just tiny posies, but also foraged finds - feathers, lichen, twigs, pebbles - lovely, gathered things that connect me to the landscapes I love. I am really trying to declutter stuff we don't love anymore from our home, so there is room to properly enjoy these small collections that do matter to me. I thought I might share what I collect, snip and enjoy each week here on the blog under the title 'gathered', and I hope it encourages us all to feel that just a few simple blooms really can be so worth the minimal effort involved? It is also, I suppose, part of my goal to make this year more mindful, and the ritual of growing, finding, collecting and displaying is a simple way to bring pleasure and calmness into the week - a bit of margin from all the busyness and deadlines that can take over. It means that I have an easy way to deepen my connection with the seasons, and relishing what makes each month special is in essence about noticing more keenly and finding gratitude in simple things which just seems to make life so much happier? There are lots of hashtags over on instagram that celebrate a similar intention, take a look at #natureinthehome #wanderandgather #thenaturetable  #stylingtheseasons if you are interested, and do please join in with my #naturenotes_february for a monthly collection of my seasonal finds and those of anyone else who would like to share their photos or sketches?

This week, it is all about enjoying the hellebores while they are still carpeting the small woodland part of our garden. They have been in flower for weeks already and I know they won't be around much longer so I am picking a few each week, and popping them in tiny vases to enjoy. The trick with hellebores is to cut them just before they start producing seed, and keep the stalks very short, scalding the stem ends in boiling water for about 10-15 seconds, shielding the flowers from the steam. This way they last a few days rather than drooping within hours. The shortness of the stems means you actually see their beautiful faces!

I would love to hear about any of your flowers or other finds this week, and I hope they give you lots of pleasure in your home.