Wildflowers on wheels
Riding a bike has always been my favourite way to travel around. I spent much of my childhood cycling through the Wiltshire countryside, looking at nature, pausing by the roadside to explore sun-dappled woodlands or pockets of downland.
Over the years, I had many memorable encounters with wild things spotted from the saddle: plants, animals and fungi that I triumphantly identified (regularly incorrectly) and listed lovingly in my notebook. I found joy in this activity. It calmed me. It was a source of inspiration and entertainment throughout the year. And – unlike in school – I was never bored.
From a young age, my love for nature was focused on wild plants. In my local meadows and woods, there were plants that poisoned predators, fought battles and played mind games with pollinators. I discovered climbers and carnivores, puppeteers and parasites. Some were giants hundreds of years old, while others were tiny pinpricks a millimetre across. Their inability to run away meant I could get a good look at them, and I
