Edge of the Hedge

Hello there! Yes, I'm still here 🌱

Today marks 3 year since I published Episode 4 of Edge of the Hedge. What was to be, rather unexpectedly, the last one for some time, due to having to pause, due to an uptick in parental care needs, and juggling this with my work as a Herbalist. Life has changed quite a bit since then, and I now find myself with the headspace and a little more available time, and my creativity very much bubbling away.

Things are stirring under the soil. New episodes are coming this Spring, and I can wait to share them with you. But in the meantime, Episode 4 is still available across all platforms, wherever you get your podcasts. It'd mean the world to me, if you could give it another listen, and maybe let me know what you think, and if you enjoy it. Each episode takes around 3-4 days to record, edit, publish and promote, and I do this entirely in my own time, without sponsorship. It is, a labour of love to share my love of nature, with you.

Thank you 🙏 and do subscribe so you find the new episodes when they're published, and if you'd like to leave a review or rating, we'll, that'd be very much appreciated. It's a big old podcast world out there, for little old me to stand out i🎧

Best listened to with headphones 🎧

Here's what I wrote about the episode back then...

It was great to get up close with the lichens on the hedgerows and the winter aconites. I'll be sharing a few pictures of my walk over the coming days. Have you noticed the lichens and winter aconites this year?

As we spring towards February, I have some wooly company by the edge of the hedge, and I find myself drawn to the luminescent lichen on the hawthorn hedge, before heading back into the village to see the yellow beacons of floral groundcover that are the winter aconite in the churchyard. And on the way, coming across the chattering local starlings who’ve recently lost their regular perching site.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or online here at my podcast page:
https://edgeofthehedge.buzzsprout.com/1806445/12165212-ep-4-the-light-returning-lichens-on-the-hedgerow-winter-aconites-and-sheep-in-the-fields

Hello! It's been a while, but I'm back!

It's been quite the couple of years here, since putting out Episode 4 of my fledgling podcast, but I'm really glad to share that as of this last weekend, Edge of the Hedge is emerging again, after spending a brilliant weekend Global Birdfair in Rutland. What a weekend!

Earlier this year, I chanced upon a call out for podcasters to join the SWAROVSKI OPTIK Birding podcasting stage at Birdfair, and thought, this can be the kick-start to getting recording and producing again, and I was so delighted when I was offered me a slot over the weekend and paired me up with a perfect guest. (Thanks Charlie!)

Sunday lunchtime, I had the absolute joy of spending half an hour in the company of photographer, conservationist and nature educator, talking about his career in natute conservation, his passion for photography and the importance of getting to know nature more deeply. My conversation with George will feature as part of upcoming episodes and I really look forward to sharing this with you. In the meantime, do give him a follow on IG and YouTube, he makes really engaging videos and you'll learn a lot from him. I think he has big things on the horizon, I'm sure!

Over the weekend, I also bumped into Suzy from (my favourite birding podcast) and after sharing a lovely conversation, both decided to record a chat with each other about out podcasts and love for nature. We have a lot in common!

I was also hopeful I'd come across some people I could speak to about specific subjects I have in mind for future episodes, and was so happy to come across and his beautiful stand in the artists marquee. His painting and studies of Swifts struck me incredibly powerfully, and it was clear that this was someone who knew his subject matter, through deep and long term observation. I'm immensely grateful to him spending some time with me and sharing about his love of Swifts and his work. I took a listen back to his words last night, and I don't doubt for a second, like me, you'll love what he shares.

So, seed sown and watered! I can't wait to share new episodes with you 🌱 from late 2025 / early 2026.

🙏🌱 REVIEW 🌱🙏
Thank you so much to 'Lincolnshire Mum' for leaving such a generous and lovely review of Edge of the Hedge on Apple podcasts 💚

As a completely independent, self-funded podcast, produced in my spare time, every single rating and review goes a long way in helping others to find and listen to Edge of the Hedge. I'm so immensely grateful for all good ratings and reviews people leave for it. Thank you! The podcast is nothing, without your kind listens and interaction.

I make it in the hope that the more closely we observe and spend time in the natural world that we share this planet with, the more we find awe within it and build curiosity and connection, and so the more we care about it, and nurture deeper understandings with fellow life on planet earth 🌏

🎧 EPISODE 4 - PICTURES FROM THE FIELD RECORDING DAY 🎧

There's a subtle pallette of colour to the Hawthorn hedgerow at this time of year. A grey-maroon that radiates, and imprints in your memory, so that wherever you walk, or drive, you notice it more and more on your travels. And where the flail hedge cutter of the tractors have harshly chopped it back, the brighter golden inner bark shows. Then, with the lichens lacing their way along certain branches...well, stunning.

For a stark winter landscape, so much colour!

This is the last set of pictures for this episode but I had to share some pics of the sheep, their field feast, and their footprints too! Their company was a pleasant addition whilst recording this time. They deserve a credit!

I hope you've enjoyed Episode 4.
The next episode gets underway next week.
Thank you so much for listening 🎶 🎧🙏

🎧 EPISODE 4 - PICTURES FROM THE FIELD RECORDING DAY 🎧
💛
I don't think I'm alone, in being completely awestruck by Lichens, when the trees and hedgerows are bare in winter. Vibrant! Full of life! Clinging to the bare branches. There's still so much life, even in the still of winter.

It was on the winter Hawthorn that I increasingly noticed it.

Try taking a picture of it with your phone and then zooming in. It's phenomenally intricate. Some of these closer pictures were taken with a hand lens held over my phone camera.

The lichen I found on this Hawthorn, I'm pretty sure is the most gloriously named Xanthoria parietina. A leafy Xanthoria, which attaches to the surface of the Hawthorn, and it's described as being lobes of yellow orange with some greenish yellow areas and a few orange, so-called fruiting bodies, which look like little cups or craters. See the craters?

The other thing I've loved doing this year, is seeing shapes in the lichens - what do you see, in the picture of the lichens against the blue sky, here?

Drop me a note below! ⬇️

Listen to Episode 4, for a little more about the Lichens. They're fascinating! 💛




https://edgeofthehedge.buzzsprout.com/1806445/12165212-ep-4-the-light-returning-lichens-on-the-hedgerow-winter-aconites-and-sheep-in-the-fields

🎧 EPISODE 4 - PICTURES FROM THE FIELD RECORDING DAY 🎧

Here's the beautiful Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)

A small, bright flower that usually appears in the middle of January and hangs around until early March. The first part of its Latin name, Eranthis, stems from the Greek, 'er' meaning spring, and 'anthos' meaning a flower, particularly an early flowering one. It's part of the Buttercup (Ranuncunaceae) family.

This little sea of these winter aconites are growing in the village churchyard, sticking up about 2-3cm from the soil. Curiously, these yellow parts of the flower whilst looking like petals, are actually sepals, which is the part of a flowering plant that protects the flower - the parts of a flower, that when you look underneath many flowers, are the usually the green, almost petals/leaves, directly under the petals.

Just below the flower, there's a little circular ruff of leaves, and there's three of them - three leaves with three deep cuts in each, making it look like there's around nine leaves around the base of the flower. The stem is hollow, perfectly round, and very smooth.

The flower has six distinct yellow sepals, of which curiously three, arranged evenly around the stem are larger and more bulbous than the other three that sit between them, which are slightly smaller, but still rounded.The bigger sepals are no bigger than my little fingernail, really quite small. Over the coming weeks, these protective sepals will gradually open up a little to display the bright yellow inside of the flower, and you can just peek inside to see this glorious vital source or early pollen.

Winter Aconite was once native to woodland areas in Italy and surrounding countries, but you can now find it all over Europe, including the UK. In Suffolk, you might also hear it being named 'choirboys' because of the ruff of leaves just underneath the flower. Perhaps apt, given it grows in many churchyards.

Legend has it, they only grow in England where Roman soldiers had once fallen. Curiously, these ones are only a stone's-throw from the old Ermine Street, one of the very straight Roman roads that runs through Lincolnshire.

Haven't listened to this episode yet? Search for Edge of the Hedge wherever you get your podcasts 🎧

Here's some images to accompany Episode 3 - Winter Solstice, The Holly Tree and a Mistle Thrush, that I took whilst making the field recordings. I hope you enjoyed this episode. It was a super chilly one to create, but lots of crunchy fun!

Episode 4 should be live tomorrow, all being well. Thanks for listening 🎧 💚

That person standing at the 'Edge of the Hedge', recording with headphones and a field recorder, on a freezing cold afternoon (with awful gloves).. yep, that's me!

New podcast episodes finally in production! Hurrah! Winter Solstice episode upcoming next week.

Search wherever you get your podcasts for 'Edge of the Hedge', click 'subscribe' and then you'll be notified when the new (and future) episode is published.

What is it they say? There's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing...I seriously need some better gloves!

I'm really looking forward to bringing you new and (most importantly) regular episodes as of next week. Thanks for bearing with me folks. I've been beavering away behind the scenes 🙏🌱❄️

Hello 👋
Down on London today for the podcasting conference in Kennington Park in London, readying myself for relaunching Edge of the Hedge in the autumn 🍂 looking forward to learning lots and meeting fellow podcasting folk 🌱