The Magic of Nature

By Ruby 

We met Ruby a few years ago at The Witches Revival up in Lancaster – and recognised a kindred spirit immediately – here she tells us a little about her love of NATURE.

I have been attached to the magic of nature since I was a little girl. When I was a child, we had a wonderful rambunkled garden, full of flowers, veg, fruit and herbs. My dad had built this shack-type thing that my mum called a summer house and grew honeysuckle and vines over it, so it became like a secret den. I would spend hours making mud pies and flower potions in it. I learnt a lot from my mum about different plants and was always keen to learn more. We looked after rescue ducks, had a hedgehog family living under the shed, and had a pet cat, dog, mouse, budgie and rabbit.

Fast forward 40 years later and I have carried on learning about plants and flowers and herbs. I know what herbal remedies help for different illnesses. I forage locally, my house is full of plants, and I grow veg and herbs in our little yard and on our allotment. I love to encourage the magic of nature into our community.

Connecting with Herbs

Over the years, herbs have become woven into every part of my life. They’re not just something I cook with or use in remedies — they’re part of my daily rituals, the small everyday moments that make life feel a little bit more magical.

One of my favourite ways to connect with herbs is through simple self-care rituals. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated. Just tiny pockets of time where I slow down and invite a little nature into my day.

In the mornings, I often start with a cup of herbal tea that I’ve blended myself. I keep jars of dried herbs on a shelf on the dresser. There’s something grounding about scooping out the dried leaves, breathing in their scent, and brewing a tea that feels like a little hug for whatever the day holds. And knowing it came from your plot or garden. 

I also love making simple herbal bath blends. A handful of dried lavender, a few sprigs of rosemary, a spoonful of oats tied up in a bit of muslin cloth — pop it into a hot bath, and you have an instant homemade spa. I often add a few drops of essential oils too, depending on how I’m feeling. Rosemary and peppermint if I need a lift, or lavender and rose if I want to soothe and soften.

Herbal Rituals with the Seasons

At the turning of the seasons, I like to make space for a little herbal ritual to honour the changes around me. In spring, I might gather young nettle tops and make a nourishing soup. In summer, I dry herbs for winter teas and salves. In autumn, I harvest berries and forage from the hedgerows to make tonics. In winter, I bring sprigs of evergreen into the house to remind myself that life is always stirring, even when the world looks bare.

Another thing I love is using herbs in simple energy-clearing rituals. Sometimes I bundle dried garden sage — and use it to gently cleanse the energy in my home. Not in a formal, ceremonial way, but more like brushing out the cobwebs and inviting in fresh air. I always open the windows and imagine any stagnant energy floating away, making space for something new.

Magic of Nature for Herbal Wellness

Herbal wellness doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s about letting plants remind you to slow down, to connect, to care for yourself and the world around you a little more tenderly.

When you sip a cup of peppermint tea for a headache, or tuck a sachet of lavender into your pillow to help you sleep, you’re practising herbal wellness. When you pick a handful of rosemary and scatter it into your bath because it smells like sunshine, that’s herbal magic too. I often feel people put barriers in the way or over complicate things for themselves, when they just need to remember that plants have been companions to humans for thousands of years. They are our healers, our teachers, our comforters. Every time we brew a tea, rub a balm into tired hands, or simply pause to smell a rose, we are stepping into that ancient relationship.

I think that’s why herbs and plants feel so special to me. They connect me back to that little girl in the garden, mixing up flower potions with muddy hands, believing in magic — and somehow, 40 years later, finding out that the magic of nature was real all along.

To find out more about Ruby pop over to her website www.dottydelightful.com

She also has a Patreon page where you can become a member, and if you would like any of the nature inspired zines she creates browse her Etsy page.