I went to a funeral earlier in the week and although the deceased was a close geographical acquaintance rather than a close emotional friend it was, as they often are, a moving experience. When I came home I stood in the garden and thought a bit, and took this photograph of the last few flowers on the buddleia bush which has lasted into October.
I find that the natural world is where I go when I am happy or sad. Is that what you do too?
But then I saw the results of the Childrens’ Eyes on Earth photographic competition.
Wow! these young people have a lot of talent.
This image was voted by you and me and lots of other people as their favourite. And, actually, it is my favourite!
I think it’s because the fragility of the butterfly, and its orientation on the hard stony ground, with our plastic detritus in the background, is very powerful.
The overall winner chosen by the judges.
Very atmospheric – a worthy winner.
Second Prize went to this striking image of two sacred ibis flying over an industrial skyscape.
Joint Third Prize – strange and very memorable.
Joint Third Prize – utterly beautiful. What a planet we inhabit! Shall we try and keep it beautiful, please?
Special Prize Winner – how many goes did it take to capture this image? The answer is blowing in the wind?
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Glad “SOS” image got the overall prize, one of many that stuck out for me. As was the plastic bag image. As for me nature is what “saved” me after a near fatal car crash. One of the rehabilitation nurse/physio was an avid birdwatcher and believed, as do many that simply taking a few minutes to sit down and watch nature has a big impact on reducing stress levels etc. It worked for me after 18 months couped up in a hospital they had me volunteering at Falconry centre and going out bird watching with the physio, it helped so much I can’t really put it into words really
Douglas – but I’m glad that you did put it into words for us. Thank you.
Douglas – I believe there has been research done which says that if hospital patients can see trees or nature through a window they recover quicker. Can’t unfortunately remember where I’d heard this, but it makes sense to me and your comment reminded me of it. I can certainly concur with the idea that “simply taking a few minutes to sit down and watch nature has a big impact on reducing stress levels”. I hope you’ve fully recovered now?
I react in a similar way to death and bad news, we are all just animals and getting back to nature anchors me emotionally.
I was very impressed by the photos when prompted to vote by your blog. It is probably a good thing that children view the natural world this way as they will then realise the fragility of our relationship with the environment. It is so sad that children have to see these realities. One of the most powerful images I have from my childhood (aged 10) was watching some duck with my aunt and being aware of an amazing amount of noise coming from some reeds, it turned out to be a water vole eating a reed! I had a very gilded view of the natural world, i was SO lucky! Mark, what was your view of the environment when you were young? And yes I was paying attention on the first chapter of FFB!
Mark – interesting. I never had, nor wanted, a pet. I think my interest in the natural environment was one of curiosity about the variety of life out there. And i wanted to go ‘out there’ and explore and understand.
Powerful images and may be just may be an indication that all is not lost with the natural in the hands of future generations. I’ve always turned to nature at times of stress,misery and joy it has always just been what I did, I’ve always found it to give an enormous sense of peace.
Thanks for this Mark. To me these photos are both moving an terribly important. They show that these kids haven’t just picked up what adults have told them they’ve ‘got it’ – and to a far greater extent than most adults. And for those of us who think we’ve got it it doesn’t half keep us up to the mark !(sorry)
In an era when adults seem almost to demonise young people, I know I feel more comfortable talking about the environment to a roomful of undergraduates than people of my own age group: they’ll know more, take the environment more seriously and be more ready to do something about it themselves. The one uncomfortable bit is, as one of today’s leaders, you won’t be let off the hook – there’ll be the sort of hard, fundamental questions that usually get screened out from establishment discussions – we’re the ‘goodies’ after all and it would be wrong for us to feel uncomfortable, wouldn’t it ? But, bearing in mind the mess our generation has left them, I’m always impressed by how politely they put they’re entirely valid point of view. Its images like this – and the people behind the camera – that inspire me to go on rocking the boat against the muttered ‘don’t make such a fuss’ .
Roderick – great comment, thank you.
Mark – thanks for sharing these wonderful photos, they put my own efforts behind a camera rather to shame, and yes let’s try and keep the planet beautiful. I’d be willing to bet most if not all readers of this blog will have turned to nature during moments of joy and reflection, this one certainly has. I’m also very envious of your late flowering buddleia, as I’ve just had to sell mine along with my house. Fortunately I have cuttings … 🙂
Mark,
I think MK is referring to work done by Roger S. Ulrich – Health benefits from Gardens in Hospitals (2002).
More recently work being undertaken by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare in creating the ‘NHS Forest’ is putting that work into practice in our hospitals around the UK.
Returning to inspiring pictures worth looking at the work of 2020VISION (www.2020v.org) and the Roadshow that will tour the UK over the next few years.
Pete – thank you.
To MK (should you ever look at this comments section again). Regarding the late flowering buddleia. If you cut back buddleia branches sometime in spring the resultant shoots will flower later in the year than if they had not been pruned. If you have more than one buddleia bush you can extend the flowering period by pruning some and not others.
Wendy – many thanks! I actually did used to prune the buddleia in the spring to get more bushiness and more flowers, my envy of Mark’s was that I no longer have mine! However, the four cuttings all seem to have taken. The last trip I made to the house was on 7th September and it was absolutely full of butterflies then – probably a dozen or more tortoiseshells and what I later found out was a red admiral. That’s an excellent tip about pruning some bushes and not others, bird friendlier too as the unpruned bushes would maintain some shelter while the pruned ones were growing back. Love it!
Wendy – thanks for that!