The shorter days and colder temperatures of winter can often leave us feeling disconnected from nature and our community. However, winter offers unique opportunities to develop a deeper relationship with the natural world and nurture our wellbeing. Here are some practical and simple ways to maintain your connection with nature during the winter months.
🏡 Creating Your Winter Wildlife Sanctuary
Transform your outdoor space (no matter how small) into a haven for local wildlife:
Bird Feeding Station
– Set up a basic feeding station with different types of food (seeds, fat balls, peanuts)
– Place a shallow water dish nearby, checking daily that it hasn’t frozen
– Position it where you can easily observe from your window
– Common winter visitors include robins, blue tits, and blackbirds
– Keep a simple “Winter Wildlife Journal” to track your visitors
Wildlife-Friendly Corners
– Leave fallen leaves in quiet corners for hedgehogs and insects
– Create bug hotels using old plant stems and twigs
– Keep your garden chemical-free to protect winter wildlife
🌱 Growing Through Winter
You don’t need a garden to grow during winter! Here are some indoor projects to keep your green thumb active:
Windowsill Microgreens Garden
1. **What you need:**
– Shallow container with drainage holes
– Good quality potting soil
– Microgreen seeds (try pea shoots, radish, or sunflower)
– Sunny windowsill
– Spray bottle for watering
2. **Getting started:**
– Fill container with 1-2 inches of soil
– Scatter seeds densely across the surface
– Cover lightly with soil
– Keep moist but not wet
– Harvest in 2-3 weeks when 2-3 inches tall
Kitchen Herb Garden
– Start with easy herbs like basil, mint, or parsley (supermarket starters)
– Reuse glass jars or containers
– Place in a bright window
– Regular harvesting encourages growth
🫖 Winter Wellbeing Rituals
Create simple daily practices to maintain your connection with nature:
Morning Nature Pause
1. Make a warming herbal tea
2. Find a comfortable spot by a window or in your garden
3. Spend 5 minutes observing:
– Changes in light
– Weather patterns
– Bird activity
– Plant movements
4. Note three things that caught your attention
Mindful Winter Walks
– Take regular “micro-walks” (even 10 minutes counts!)
– Notice seasonal changes:
* Frost patterns
* Winter berries
* Bird songs
* Cloud formations
– Take photos or make sketches of interesting findings
🌲 Seasonal Foraging and Nature Crafts
Connect with winter’s offerings through careful foraging and creative projects:
Winter Foraging (Always follow local guidelines and make sure that you can 100% identify the plants you are foraging)
– Collect pine needles for tea (rich in Vitamin C)
– Gather rosehips for natural immune support (Rosehip syrup recipe here)
– Look for winter herbs like chickweed
Nature-Inspired Crafts
– Create winter pressed leaf art
– Make natural bird feeders
– Design festive decorations from foraged materials
👥 Building Winter Community
Stay connected with others while nurturing nature:
Share Your Observations
– Join our community WhatsApp group and share your finds!
– Post your wildlife photos on Instagram (tag us @living_vital) or Facebook (Living Vital)
– Start a monthly nature journaling sessions
Community Activities
– Join our weekly garden sessions every Tuesday and every other Saturday
– Share seeds and growing tips with neighbours
🌱 Getting Started
Choose one simple action to begin with:
1. Set up a bird feeding station
2. Start growing microgreens
3. Establish a daily nature pause
4. Join our community WhatsApp group
Remember, winter wellbeing isn’t about grand gestures – it’s about small, consistent actions that keep us connected to nature and each other.
*Want to learn more? Join us at Living Vital Community Garden for our weekly sessions or follow us on Instagram @living_vital or Facebook for daily nature connection inspiration.
If you haven’t been to a session before, please sign up here.
Sending love & warmth for the winter months ahead!