Slow Living Series | Embracing Spring

This time of year always puts a spring in our step. Everyday, new signs of the season ahead appear: leaves unfurling on the trees, blossom buds opening, tulip shoots growing, lambs frolicking in fields. Nature is slowly awakening after its long winter sleep, and the days are gradually becoming longer, warmer and brighter. The vernal equinox is just a few weeks away (March 20th); one of the only two times of the year when day and night are equal. The clocks go forward just 11 days later (March 31st), giving us an extra hour of daylight in the evenings. This month is the turning point of the year, when we can finally turn our backs on winter and look forward to spring.

For those of you wanting to fully embrace the new season that is creeping closer, here are six suggestions of ways to welcome in spring that are all connected to a slower pace of life, lived in tune with nature.

Grow your own

March is the perfect time of year to become invested in your garden. Whether you have a small yard you could fill with terracotta pots or a sprawling lawn that is begging for beds, the beginning of spring is when you can start sowing seeds or tidying up your garden. Plan what you would like to grow based on how much sun your garden gets, the type of soil you have and how much time you realistically will spend gardening. Easy options for novice gardeners include growing strawberries, potatoes, courgettes, cosmos and poppies. If you’re more experienced, try creating your own vegetable plots that will supply fresh produce all year round (we especially love growing kale, tomatoes and broad beans) or dedicate a bed to dahlias for beautiful blooms that will last up to four months if you regularly pick them.

Read our Gardening Chat with author Alice Vincent for more gardening advice.

Enjoy long walks

Spring is our favourite time of year to go on long walks in the countryside, as the landscapes are changing so rapidly. Pull on your favourite pair of GS walking socks and pack your bag with a flask of tea or coffee, then set out on a weekend ramble. Try keeping a nature journal, writing down everything you notice on your walks so you can read back over it to track the progress of the season. Keep your eyes peeled for signs of spring, such as blackthorn bushes in bloom, lambs in the fields, wild garlic and bluebells growing in the forests, and the landscape slowly turning more and more green. If you live in an urban area, seek out your closest parks and nature reserves, or take a train out to the countryside at the weekend for a stroll followed by a Sunday roast in your favourite country pub.

Photos credited to Field & Nest.

Make the most of lighter evenings

By the end of April, sunset will be around 8.30 in the evening, providing ample opportunities for evening activities that don’t include sitting on the sofa and watching tv. Make the most of these lighter evenings by considering all the activities that you could do after work. Take your dog for an evening walk around your local neighbourhood. Meet friends for a picnic in the park. Eat your dinner al fresco, wrapped up in knitwear to keep warm. Spend time in your garden. Sign up for a marathon or triathlon to give yourself an excuse to spend time outdoors in the evening exercising and training. Think about all the different ways that you can take advantage of the extra daylight.

Give your wardrobe a spring clean

Spring cleaning is an obvious way to welcome in the new season, but why not give your wardrobe a refresh instead of turning the whole house upside down? Go through each item of clothing that you own and assess whether it is something that you still wear, that fits you and that suits you and your lifestyle. Make three piles: clothes to hang or fold back in your wardrobe, clothes that you no longer wear and clothes to pack away until next autumn. While your wardrobe and chests of drawers are empty, hoover them out to help prevent moths. When placing garments back into your wardrobe and drawers, ensure that those items that you wear the most often are easily accessible. If you have a pile of clothes that need a new home, try organising a clothes swap party with friends to see if you can give a new home to garments that perhaps don’t fit or suit you anymore. You could also sell clothes on platforms such as Vinted, or donate to your local charity shop.

Air your knitwear

Spring is a great time of year to air your knitwear collection, bringing every piece out of your wardrobe to assess. Hand wash any knits that feel musty, drying them flat to ensure that they keep their shape. Any dirty marks can be spot cleaned, if the garment doesn’t need a complete wash. This is also a great time to sit down with a cedar wood wool comb and de-pill your knits or to run through brushed wool knitwear with a gentle wire brush. Check for signs of moths (and treat if necessary), and then place each knit inside acid-free tissue paper or canvas storage bags to protect them. Add sachets of natural lavender, rosemary, cedar balls or cloves to your knitwear drawers to ward off moths. Then close your drawers, reassured that your knitwear is clean, protected and ready to wear.

Find out more about ensuring that your knitwear lasts a lifetime in this article.

Try a new hobby

If you’ve been meaning to pick up a new hobby, now is a great time thanks to those extra hours of daylight and warmer temperatures encouraging more time spent outdoors. Two activities that we’re tempted to try this spring are foraging and wild swimming. Cold water swimming can work wonders for both your mental and physical health, and is easier to get into when the water and air temperatures have warmed up from winter. If you’re interested in trying out foraging for wild ingredients, spring is also the ideal time as there are so many plants to pick at this time of year. Dandelions, wild garlic, nettles, watercress and elderflowers are among easily recognisable, delicious plants that will be abundant over the next few months. With both wild swimming and foraging, ensure that you read up on safety tips before you try these activities for the first time.

If you’re interested in foraging, read our chat with slow living advocate, Elsa Evelyn.