Bramble

I know it looks like ice-cream, but I promise it isn't! Letter number 10 in the tree alphabet is bramble.

Hazel

My mum's called Hazel and I've just arranged to go and see her for her birthday. Happy hazel day! Hazel's the ninth letter of the alphabet and here's today's 'natural calligraphy', a phrase someone used in a tweet about these, which I like, so I am stealing it!  Again, I've managed to use lots of the parts of the plants - green and autumnal leaves, nuts, catkins and twigs. I wonder if these are any use as tree identification guides?

Holly

The eighth letter of the tree alphabet is holly. Holly is lord of the forest during the winter months, guardian through the dark time. It is resilient and beautiful, and a symbol of survival through hardship.

On January 18th, I'm going to be doing a writing workshop in Inverness, as part of a Lapidus event called 'Words for Wellbeing'. My session will use holly as a jumping off point for creativity. Please come if you're interested and spread the word to others who may like to come. See more and get an application form on Lapidus's website.

 

Oak

With a little help from a lovely hairy highland cow, here's the seventh letter of the tree alphabet.

Hawthorn

It was autumn, so this picture of hawthorn (6th letter of the Gaelic Tree Alphabet) has lots of haws in it, as well as some leaves and thorns, and it takes the shape of the ogham character - the first of the group of letters that involve sloping 'twigs' off to the left of the vertical 'branch'.

Ash

The fifth letter of the tree alphabet. I made this when I was on writing retreat at Cove Park, on the path between the pods and cubes where the residents hide out and the main building. It was interesting to see how many people spotted it, and who just walked over it, even while it was quite legible. Note the ogham character on the bottom curve of the S.

Here's hoping the ash dieback disease does not spread too widely. They are such lovely trees, and the loss of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, would not be a good omen.

Willow

The fourth letter of the tree alphabet...