In Praise of Brambles

The Bramble Rise approach

When we spot a tangle of brambles, most of us think one thing: they’ve got to go. We picture how much better things will look once they’re cleared away.

But if we take a closer look, we see that brambles are in fact one of our most generous plants offering shelter, food and protection for songbirds, small mammals and other wildlife. Their flowers provide high quality nectar for bees and butterflies all the way from May to September. The shape of the flower is not only beautiful, but welcoming and inclusive. Unlike other more specialised flowers, the wide cup of the bramble flower makes its nectar available to all insects.

Thinking about brambles can help us deal with the thornier parts of our own experience – the bits of ourselves we’d rather not have, the hard relationships, the unwanted moments we wish were different. Brambles are a good reminder that what we’re quickest to push away may actually hold precious gifts for us.

Bramble Rise – the land

The brambles on this beautiful site have grown in such a way as to create natural “rooms” – open spaces where our many projects can take root and grow.

Tell us what you would like to see in each room.

An outdoor kitchen where people can cook an eat together? An orchard? A wildlife pond?

We’d love to know what you would like to see happening at Bramble Rise. Is there a group or activity that you would like to attend? Is there a group or activity that you would like to offer? Share your ideas with us and help co-create a living community.