Books on Wild Plants (Conservation, Foraging, Healing)
Find beauty. Be still. - W.H. Murray
My to-read list grows at a high speed every day, I have book titles written in small notebooks, on Goodreads, on wishlists of my favourite book suppliers. Like most avid readers I leave some books without attention on the shelves for a few months but eventually do go back to them as my interests go in circles: from perfumery to literature, from self-care and mental balance to aromatherapy (including for pets), from cooking and gardening to natural living and in the end all goes back to one common thing: how to stay closer to nature because this is what encouraged me to start making my own plant based perfumes which now reflects not only my interests but also my own inner voice as to how to stay alive (mentally and physically) without hurting our planet.
I had hesitated for a long time before I was brave enough to finally launch a perfume which could use recycled alcohol. But then I realised the amazing connection my sustainability goals had with RedBird initial inspiration: Mary Oliver is considered an eco-poet and focuses on nature in her work. Why not connect eco-poetry, conservation and recycled/upcycled natural aromatics in my studio?
What is recycled alcohol? I use alcohol to clean bottles before filling them with perfume and perfume making tools. The alcohol is then collected back into a bottle and filtered to be used in RedBird. So to be clear: what is left is simply pure alcohol with a small amount of aromatics, so the alcohol, as perfumers say, is fixed and loses its initial harsh alcohol smell which is a good thing. There is no dust or any kind of dirt left in it as perfume making filters are made to get a clear fragrance blend at the end.
Botanical perfumes can be inspired by experiences, books, characters, feelings, moments, places, etc. Places are especially essential in our life because they seal not only space but also time and scent is the glue which holds everything as a memory. Conservation has become such a ubiquitous subject that we almost rarely pay attention to it anymore. By making another perfume, I want it once again to act as a reminder about the things we tend to omit: the importance of nature in our life. The more we ignore it, the more we depend on it.
For RedBird 04 I chose the scent of a wild meadow. Attention, respect and love for wild places, especially fragile ones, containing their own eco-systems within must not be forgotten as you enter them. Kneel down and listen, close your eyes and breathe in. We enjoy wild flowers and herbs but what do we actually know about them? Have you ever gone foraging for herbs in a mountain meadow? The smell of wild sage is incredible! Wild plants survive in the best places, they are not being fed by humans, by choosing the best area, they get the best nutrients, this is why their aroma is more precious in aromatherapy and natural perfumery. Wild lavender oil smells much more intriguing!
There are hundreds of books focusing on wild plants (medicinal, edible, endangered, etc), I have made my own small home collection after extensive research and would like to share some of the books. I keep some for reference only, some I use quite often as I believe the skill of identifying plants (in particular poisonous ones) must be taught at school from an early age.
While some authors focus on certain countries (it is specifically mentioned in a book title), most of them are suitable both for North America and Europe.
The books I highly recommend for wild foraging by Samuel Thayer:
Nature's Garden: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
Incredible Wild Edibles: 36 Plants That Can Change Your Life
A shorter and more portable book: The Forager's Calendar: A Seasonal Guide to Nature's Wild Harvests by John Wright
For guidance: Collins Wild Flower Guide by David Streeter
For indigenous knowledge of wild plants: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Though not exactly on wild plants, these are good companions by Rosemary Gladstar if you are interested in using wildcrafted herbs and flowers in your beauty rituals and for some common ailments, the books are simple and easy to follow:
Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family
Herbal Healing for Women
And the last fascinating book to teach the little ones the art of love for wild plants (full of authentic vintage illustrations from 100 years ago, divided into seasons): The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker.
I hope to update this list based on my own experience with the subject in the coming months/years.