Editorial

Catching the scent of summer

Ella Leith

Here we are in the merry, merry month of May, and there is much to enjoy: longer, warmer days; leafy vistas; the scent of sun-warmed herbs...The fragrant strewing herb, Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum), is Marianne Hughes’ Herb of the Month, and the central image in Isobel Dixon’s beautifully introspective poem (Nine Arches Press presents...). In Notes from the Brew Room, Ann King is making a celebratory Maibowle— a drink that evokes fond memories of merry-making for Amanda Edmiston (Botanica Fabula). Meanwhile, Our Editor in the Field has been sampling the delights of the Distillery at the Secret Herb Garden; turn to her interview with its founder, Hamish Martin, to savour its story, tastes, and fragrances.

As such festivities can take a toll on the system, Dora Wagner (Anthroposophical Views) advises us how best to support and sustain the liver, the body’s great detoxifier. Claire Gormley explains the liver’s role in the absorption of vitamin D from sunlight (The Chemistry Column). If you’re inspired to head outside and catch some rays, consider Callum Halstead’s call for gardening choices as gifts to the future (Sage Advice). For those wishing to stay curled up inside, we have two book recommendations: a spiritual engagement with herbology, and a novel that explores the threads connecting us across time and place (Book Club).

May Day is the Celtic cross quarter-day, marking the seasonal shift into summer. This is a liminal time when, despite the festivities, tensions can surge to the fore and demand resolution (Foraging through Folklore). The constant news of political and humanitarian crises— local and global —serves as a reminder that merry days are too often short-lived and fragile; indeed, ‘merry’ has at its root a ProtoGermanic word meaning ‘short-lasting’. Deep within merriment is a subtle seriousness; you can find it in the underlying solemnity of Olga Suvorova’s opulent scenes of feast and abundance (Artist of the Month). The Editorial Team shares Olga’s horror at the actions of the current Russian government. We place our hope in the bonds of solidarity and care that bind us to one another, and call us to action.

So, breathe deep, and make merry where you can. Such moments may prove fleeting, but they are all the more valuable for that. May the lengthening days bring better times to us all.

Honorary Executive: Catherine Conway-Payne

Editorial team: Kyra Pollitt, Ella Leith, Maddy Mould and Anastasia Joyce

Illustration: Maddy Mould

Finance and Distribution: Marianne Hughes, Senga Bate

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