Respecting & protecting the environment is an important guiding principle when working with botanicals. My own garden is a rich source of raw materials, including the ever generous fuchsia, the wild rose bushes and the perpetually rampant bramble. Seaweeds like dillisk and wrack wash up on the beach after winter storms. They all are wonderful sources of botanical prints.

The Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark is rich in plant life, but they exist in a delicately balanced ecosystem. The coming together of region’s limestone geology, a temperate climate, the soil and mineral deposits left by glacier movement during the Ice Age and traditional land management processes yields a rich and rare landscape.

In Ireland, the Wildlife Act including the Flora (Protection Order) (2022) declares certain plants to be protected throughout the country. It is illegal to uproot, cut or pick any of the plants that are governed by the order. The National Parks and Wildlife Service of Ireland (www.npws.ie) provides detailed guidance on how to enjoy the environment in a responsible and sustainable way.