Books that sing 'spring'
The delicate scent of wildflowers carried by a soft breeze on a bright early morning alongside a quiet cup of tea and a light, absorbing book on my decking sounds like the perfect spring weekend to me. Spring showers are also my favourite kind of rain because they quite often occur alongside reasonable temperatures and listening to them soothes my soul. However, if we’re picking favourite seasons, I am actually more of an autumn/winter person but I can certainly appreciate the beauty and ‘potential’ that spring holds.
I also love books that take me to quiet gardens of possibility and maybe even harbor some warm magic to nourish a tired mind in search of rest. Here are four books that for me, just sing all the songs of spring and celebrate the wonder of nature during this season.
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and The Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
As a botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Robin Wall Kimmerer is a deep believer in both the importance of science and the idea that nature is a mother to all of us. Drawing on both her scientific education and her family’s culture, she calls for humans to rediscover the beauty, wisdom and generosity of the natural world around them in order to better serve it as well as it has served humankind for millennia.
‘I close my eyes and listen to the voices of the rain.’
Braiding Sweetgrass has cropped up on several bestseller lists since its publication and it’s not hard to see why. It is full of fascinating stories from both Robin’s life and the culture she comes from. The emblem of Skywoman and the origin of the Earth on the back of the turtle kicks the book off but those images are still so strong as you move through the pages. Gratitude and reciprocity are king in Native American cultures and the way those things relate to humans’ relationship with the natural world are professed so beautifully.
Spring is a season for spending time with nature. The trees brighten after being so bare during winter and the flowers re-emerge. Everything regenerates and Braiding Sweetgrass is the perfect guide for regenerating how we think about the world around us. I felt so grounded and connected to the Earth while reading it. It is quite dense with a lot of plant knowledge and science, so I’m not sure it’s for everyone but if you care about healing the planet and your relationship with it, it’s an absolute must read.
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
On a rainy day in London in the early 1920s, Mrs Wilkins sees an advert in The Times looking for occupants of a medieval castle in Italy for a month and she starts to daydream about how lovely it would be. Then she sees Mrs Arbuthnot, who she vaguely knows by sight, also noticing the same advert and lingering over it. Plucking up the courage to go over and raise it with her, Mrs Wilkins sets in motion a plan that will take four women to the Italian Riviera where they will perhaps finally learn to stop being ‘good’ and start being happy.
‘The garden was an enchanted place where all the flowers seemed white. The lilies, the daphnes, the orange-blossom, the white stocks, the white pinks, the white roses -you could see these as plainly as the daytime; but the coloured flowers existed only as fragrance.’
The Enchanted April is from an era of literature that was rife with female writers who I think were probably criminally overlooked. It’s the only Elizabeth von Arnim novel that I’ve read but I am desperate to get back to her work. I’ve heard that this is probably the lightest of her books but I have hopes that the funny, quirky style might at least crop up again. One of my favourite things about it is the way that these women are so carefully drawn individuals and readers can’t help but really get to know them and their idiosyncrasies on such an affectionate level.
Of course, the stunning setting of Portofino in April makes for a sun-washed atmosphere that is bursting with comedy, friendship and reflection. As well as the vivid floral descriptions, there is a strong sense that von Arnim is telling us that holidays and stepping outside of our everyday lives every now and then is essential to our wellbeing. That’s exactly what those long spring bank holidays are for, if you ask me!
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
The Waverley family have lived in their enchanted house and garden for generations and they have built a reputation in their local community for assisting their neighbours wherever they can. You see, the fruit and flowers that grow on the Waverleys’ land hold special powers and the Waverley women have always known exactly how to wield them. When Claire Waverley’s sister Sydney returns to the family home with a young daughter, both women are forced to face the wounds in their shared past if they are to move forward together.
‘Yellow joy was radiating from her. When you're happy for yourself, it fills you. When you're happy for someone else, it pours over. It was almost too bright to watch.’
As a whimsical, cosy story with plenty of plant magic and more than a touch of witchiness, I can see how some people would think that Garden Spells is more of an October book than a spring one. The apple tree in particular is a big part of the story and apples don’t typically fruit until late summer but we’ll put that aside for now because whenever I think of this garden with its curious, nodding flowerheads and lush, shiny fruit, it’s the waking up of nature that springs (hehe) to my mind.
The story is a family drama with a spot of romance and beautiful imagery. It’s also about being brave, not letting your past define your future and living life the way that you want to live it. Spring is a season of hope and new beginnings and Garden Spells has that in (magical) spades.
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
As a Cambridge academic, Emily Wilde is the leading expert on all things fae and she’s writing the first full encyclopaedia on faerie lore. Her research takes her to the tiny village of Hrafnsvik where she hopes to make some fascinating discoveries but to her dismay, she has been followed there by her rival Wendell Bambleby, who just might turn out to be the biggest mystery Emily has ever investigated.
‘A round ring of mushrooms is the obvious example, but one must additionally be on the lookout for large, hoary trees that dwarf their neighbors; for twisted trunks and gaping hollows; for wildflowers out of sync with the forest's floral denizens; for patterns of things; for mounds and depressions and inexplicable clearings. Anything that does not fit.’
The Emily Wilde series is full of beautiful nature settings and a deep appreciation of the magical qualities that plants possess. The faeries that Emily has dedicated her life to make their homes within the ancient wisdom of enormous forests, the gentle hush of the flowers and the soft whisper of quiet, waiting earth. Yes, it might be another cosy fantasy situation where you’re thinking it’s more autumn but Emily Wilde is all about discovery of new knowledge and new beginnings. It’s very spring.
My favourite thing about the Emily Wilde series is the dynamic between Emily and Wendell, which is very charming and so fun to watch. It has a very unique, easy pace and very infectious, small town vibes that all the best cosy fantasy has. If that’s your idea of a good time, I can highly recommend it as a spring companion.
Which books sing spring to you? Let me know in the comments!
Love, Alex x