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Hotel Day Rooms are Ideal for Business Travellers
Day rooms are very useful for business travellers attending conferences and needing a private space to relax in between meetings. Hotels by the hour in many cities provide this service.
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Environmentally Friendly Farming
Modern farming has often been shown to be damaging to wildlife and natural habitats. This is why environmentally friendly farming methods are increasingly being used.
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How to Forage for Herbs and Edible Plants in Your Neighbourhood
You may be surprised by how many edible plants and useful herbs grow in the neighbourhoods we live in. Just half an hour spent looking around can turn up a lot of food.
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Patchouli and Morning Glory are two "Far Out" Herbs of Saturn and popular with Hippies
Patchouli and Morning Glory are two "far out" herbs popular with hippies for different reasons. They are also both herbs ruled by Saturn and included in the book Herbs of the Sun, Moon and Planets.
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Growing Viper’s Bugloss Can Benefit the Bees
The Viper's Bugloss species in the "Echium" genus are often called Tower of Jewels. They produce thousands of flowers that attract honeybees and other pollinators.
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Butterfly Gardening in Iberia
Butterfly gardening means growing flowers that will feed adult butterflies and attract them to our gardens, as well as growing food-plants for their caterpillars to eat. What plants are best in Iberia?
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Meet the nightshade family -these magical herbs are femme fatales
The nightshade family or Solanaceae is a very large group of plants, many of which are herbs and many of which are beautiful but poisonous plants, such as deadly nightshade, henbane and the mandrake.
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Public spending cuts benefit the natural world in South Wales
While public spending cuts due to the ongoing economic crisis have had a terrible effect on communities and people, the world of nature has often benefited because the environment is not harmed.
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The Peanut Cactus is easy to grow and get to bloom
The Peanut Cactus (Chamaecereus sylvestrii) is an easy-to-grow cactus that produces pretty orange-red flowers. It is also known as Echinopsis chamaecereus. It comes from Argentina.
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The Iberian Emerald Lizard lives in Spain and Portugal but is a "Near Threatened" species of reptile
The Iberian Emerald Lizard (Lacerta schreiberi) is found in Spain and Portugal but it is a rare reptile due to habitat loss. Its conservation status is Near Threatened.
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Nature Reserves in the French Alps
The French Alps provide natural habitats for many species of flora and fauna needing high mountains and there are many areas designated as alpine nature reserves in this region of France.
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Foraging in Portugal in Spring for Edible Wild Plants
Portugal is wonderful for foraging because of the great diversity of edible plants that grow there. There are many herbs that can be found growing wild, including fennel and milk thistle.
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Gulbenkian Park and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in the heart of Lisbon
If you are in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, visit the Gulbenkian Park where there are ponds, streams, ducks and many flowers, trees and shrubs. It is a green space in the heart of the city.
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Portugal’s forests that grow on sand
Portugal has a very great diversity when it comes to its flora and fauna, and a very wide range of natural habitats. Among these are its forests and some of these forests grow on sand.
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Where does cork come from? Answer - the Cork Oak tree
We all use cork, if only as stoppers for wine bottles, but where does the material come from? Cork is the bark of the Cork Oak tree and these trees are grown and harvested for the cork they produce.
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Cats get high – Catnip and the psychoactive herbs used by cats
Cats are well-known for being affected by catnip. It is not just humans that "get high" from the use of psychoactive herbs because many animals species use plants for their intoxicating effects too.
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Great Bustards live in Portugal and Spain and were extinct in the UK but have been reintroduced
The Great Bustard (Otis tarda) is a very large bird that was extinct in the UK but has been reintroduced. It lives in Spain, Portugal and other parts of Europe and Asia. It has become rare though.
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The Varied Flora and Fauna of Portugal: A Naturalist’s Paradise
Portugal is a naturalist's paradise. It is home to a vast number of species of flora and fauna. Some, like the Iberian lynx, are endangered.
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The Pine Processionary Moth has a fascinating caterpillar that forms long nose-to-tail processions
The pine processionary moth has a caterpillar that forms long nose-to-tail processions in which each larva follows the one in front. These caterpillars build silken tents in the pines they feed on.
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The Common Chameleon: The Only Chameleon Found in Europe
Are there chameleons in Europe? The common chameleon is the only species of chameleon that lives in Europe, and it is native to regions such as southern Portugal and southern Spain. In Portugal, it lives in the Algarve area, though it's threatened by habitat loss.
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The Swallowtail Butterfly is rare in the UK and only found in Norfolk but is common in continental Europe
The beautiful Swallowtail butterfly is a very rare insect in the UK and only seen in the Norfolk Broads area. It is far more common in Europe and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere.
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A rose by any other name is the Stick of Blood
Palo de Sangre means Stick of Blood and is a rare shrub in the rose family. It is found in Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
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Cardiff’s Howardian Nature Reserve has dormice, amber snails and bee orchids
Howardian Local Nature Reserve is a very successful wildlife reserve situated just a mile and a half from Cardiff city centre. Created on top of an old rubbish dump the area has many natural habitats.
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Natural Umbrellas – the Umbrella Bird, Umbrella Sedge and Umbrella Tree
Umbrellas are used to keep out the rain but Mother Nature has used the umbrella design too. There are plants and a bird with "Umbrella" as part of their names, and the Parasol Mushroom is aptly named
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A Monarch Butterfly’s true story
Monarch Butterflies are famous for their incredible migrations from North America to the States in the south and they are truly amazing insects. They also live in the Canary Islands.
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Strawberries and Cream – the weird fungus Hydnellum peckii
Strawberries and Cream is the name of the very weird fungus Hydnellum peckii that looks like the food described in its name. Although it looks delicious it is not an edible wild mushroom.
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Animals in danger - why frogs and toads need our help
Frogs and toads were once common amphibians but they are declining in numbers in many parts of the world and some are in danger of extinction.
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The Dandelion - a common edible plant to go foraging or wildcrafting for
Dandelions are a very nutritious and common edible plant as well as being a medicinal herb. They can easily be found whilst foraging.
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Valerian - an herbal remedy for insomnia and anxiety
The herb valerian is a treatment for insomnia and stress. It is a natural tranquiliser and combats anxiety and sleeplessness.
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Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii is a must for butterfly gardens
The Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) is well named because butterflies and other pollinators love to collect nectar from its flowers. It is an ideal shrub for the butterfly garden.
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What are Water Bears? Tardigrades survive extreme temperatures, radiation and lack of water
Water Bears or Tardigrades can tolerate drought, extremes of temperature and radiation exposure. They have been sent into Space for 10 days and were unharmed. They can be less than 1 mm in size.
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How to attract Hawk Moths to your garden
Hawk moths are massive moths that can be colourful and are very interesting to see. They all have equally big caterpillars that have spikes on their tales and that eat a wide variety of garden and wild plants, though different species have specific...
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Foraging for edible plants and weeds to eat - Mallow
Mallow is a nutritious and very common edible wild plant that can be found when wildcrafting. It is easy for foragers to find and gather.
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Eat the weeds and forage for herbs like Fennel
Fennel is one of many wild plants that are classed as herbs and can be used in the kitchen. Many weeds are edible too.
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In the Canary Islands -Tenerife and La Gomera forest fires threaten endangered species
Forest fires are a major threat to the countryside of Tenerife in the Canary Islands and to the flora and fauna of the island.
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Do your bit to help butterflies with the International Butterfly and Moth Project
Butterflies and moths are in danger and need our help worldwide. There are many ways we can help their conservation. Species like the monarch butterfly often make the news because of their decline.
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The European Eel - once common but now an endangered species
The European Eel was formerly a very common species of fish found in Europe and the UK but it is now listed as a Critically Endangered species.
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British butterflies that need Stinging Nettles
Many people don’t like Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica) because they sting and are thought of as weeds but a lot of these same people don’t realise just how many pretty butterflies have caterpillars that depend on these plants. In the UK, the...
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The Three-spined Stickleback or Tiddler and a Roy Harper song
Sticklebacks are very common freshwater fish. The males make a nest for the eggs of the female.
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Buglife, Ragwort and the Cinnabar Moth
The cinnabar moth flies by day and has orange and black striped caterpillars. They feed on ragwort and are the subject of a campaign by Buglife because plans are afoot to destroy the weed.
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The Common Lizard is not so common now
Common lizards used to be common but have been declining in numbers in the UK. This species gives birth to live young and does not lay eggs.
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Why a raw food diet is the healthiest option?
An increasing number of people are switching to a raw food diet for health reasons. raw fruit and vegetables, green plants and herbs are what raw foodists choose to eat and meals prepared using them.
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A Cardiff in South Wales walk on the wild side
There are some great walks and wildlife around the Cardiff area in South Wales.
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What are Green Songs? Joni Mitchell and Neil Young sing them
Green Songs are songs about the environment, conservation, ecology and nature.
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Great Crested Newts, Common Newts and Palmate Newts
Newts are amphibians and in the UK there are three species which are the Great Crested, the Common and the Palmate Newts. The Great Crested Newt is an endangered species.
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Edible Flowers: 10 Garden and Wild Flowers You Can Eat
It turns out that you can plan dinner while stopping to smell the roses! Here are 10 easy-to-find (or grow) edible flowers to spice up your cooking game.
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Warning: Flip-flops are a health hazard
If you have a pair of flip-flops my advice is to throw them away because this item of footwear is a danger to your personal health! I know this because I had an accident wearing them and now have lost my big toenail of my left foot, have badly...
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Foraging and Free Food from the Countryside - Weeds you can eat
Plenty of edible plants grow in the countryside. Many weeds are actually very nutritious but go to waste. Many people are learning the skill of foraging to look for and gather food for free.
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The Juniper tree - an ecological story about Donovan, Brian May and rabbits
The singer Donovan had a hit with his song Jennifer Juniper but the tree juniper is a useful herb. It is a conifer and grows on hills and moorlands of Scotland.
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Aromatic herbs for your herb garden
Many culinary and medicinal herbs have strong and distinctive aromas and can some types can be used in perfumes. The smell of aromatic herbs is one reason they are grown in herb gardens.
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Monarch Butterflies - how to help save them - Monarch Butterfly conservation
Monarch butterflies are one of the best-known species of butterfly in the world but their numbers are declining and they need help. Habitat destruction and pesticides are taking a heavy toll.
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Green Man Festival is a very popular summer music festival in Wales
The Green Man Festival is held in Wales each year. It was started by It's Jo and Danny back in 2003 as a small event in comparison with what it is like today.
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Plastic bags banned in Hawaii statewide
Plastic bags are a single use throwaway item made from plastic that are causing serious pollution problems in the oceans and environment. One solution to this is banning them.
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How to Forage, and Why Foraging Is Good for Your Health
Foraging for edible wild plants is a very enjoyable way of gathering food for free, getting healthy and enjoying the countryside.
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Caterpillars are fascinating creatures
Caterpillars become pupae and chrysalises that transform into moths and butterflies. Many types of caterpillar are very strange and beautiful just like the adult insects they become.
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Ladybird Spiders - a Buglife conservation campaign
Ladybird spiders are an endangered species of spider that the Buglife charity has been trying to help in the UK. The spiders have red backs spotted with black like ladybirds and they live on heaths.