Scottish Midsummer Plant & Tree Lore | Elder, Foxglove & the Ancient Yew | Sleep Story

What this episode covers

Tonight we walk through the green world at the height of the Scottish year. From the elder tree blooming in late June hedgerows to the meadowsweet foaming along Highland burns, from the trembling Scottish bluebell on the moorland to the foxgloves marking invisible fairy paths across the hillside, this episode explores the rich and largely untold plant and tree folklore of Scotland.We visit the Fortingall Yew in Perthshire, almost certainly the oldest living organism in Europe, and sit beside it long enough to feel what it means to be in the presence of something that has watched the entire recorded history of Scotland come and go. We follow the Gaelic name of meadowsweet back to Cú Chulainn's training on Skye, and discover how a Highland folk remedy became the origin of aspirin. We learn why you never burn elder wood in the hearth, why the Scottish bluebell has more names for danger than almost any other wildflower, and what the tall foxgloves standing alone on a cleared hillside are really marking.A gentle, fireside journey through Scottish folklore, plant lore, and ancient tree traditions. Perfect for relaxation, sleep, or anyone who loves Scottish history, Gaelic tradition, and the folklore of the natural world.Subscribe for new episodes of Scottish folklore, history and mythology every week.Also available with relaxing visuals on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CaledoniaSleeps

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