Creative friends launch book celebrating wildlife on our doorstep

Two creative entrepreneurs from Ramelton have teamed up to create a book about friendship with nature.

Wild Things, by Laura Buchanan and Hannah Gallagher, celebrates the plants that grow in the corners of our gardens and natural spaces.

From the bright dandelion to the stingy nettle, this beautifully illustrated book encourages people to see the value of nature in our hedgerows.

Laura, an artist, and Hannah, a pianist and music educator, wanted to encourage people to foster a closer personal connection with Ireland’s nature. They combined their skills in art and education with the expertise of NatureNorthWest’s lead nature guide, Aengus Kennedy, to shine a light on twelve plants. With the account of each wild thing comes a healthy recipe or fun creative activity to share with your friends, your family, and the little ones in your life.  

Wild Things was given a very appropriate launch in the outdoor school space at Glebe House and Gallery during Heritage Week. Guests gathered amongst the trees to celebrate the book and the reason for its creation – connecting with nature.

Friendship with nature is at the heart of the book. The stories of each plant serve to remind the reader of the importance of respecting and understanding friendships among our local community of plants.

Laura and Hannah invite readers to “explore a world that is outside your front door, down the road from your home, and in all the familiar corners of your garden and local natural spaces. Sit with the daisy. Seek out wild garlic. Look at the nettle in a new light. Forge friendships with these wonderful wild things and share those connections with the little ones in your life. Make a gorse-dyed handkerchief. Bake blueberry bars together. Share a wild good cup of wood sorrel tea! Through this engagement, feel the friendship of nature and understand what we can do to take care of it, as it so selflessly takes care of us.”

Wild Things is part-funded by the County Donegal Heritage Plan.

Wild Things is available to purchase now from Laura Buchanan’s online shop here: https://laurabuchanan.ie/products/book-wild-things