Author Amanda Edmiston launched her books “The Time Traveller’s Herbal” at the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow on Friday.
The book is a spiral through 2,000 years of fairy tales, legends, social history, folklore and the plants and their uses.
Centred around Scotland it shares not only ancient myths connected to the land but also the stories of the people who travelled here, bringing their recipes and flavours with them.
The author explained: “I first learnt about plants from my mum and my gran, and my grandad, a sculptor, told me stories whilst he carved in his studio. My mum has been a professional storyteller for over thirty years, but my own journey really began when I found myself a single parent with my eldest child, who was just a few months old at the time.
“The stories you will read here are accompanied by recipes you might like to try: ones that relate to the historical period or offer a taste of the plants in the stories – sensory elements that bring the stories to life. There are legends in here too that I’ve been told since childhood, insights into some of my adventures as a travelling herbal storyteller and a look at the plants and landscapes that I’m familiar with. I hope it makes you want to sit outside, preferably somewhere that you love, and look at the plants around you, wherever you are. Dandelions growing through cracks in paving stones, or towering trees lining railway lines, or parks are as magical as meadows and mountains.”
Amanda’s work weaves together plants, herbs, and flowers with traditional tales, facts, and her own stories. You can expect to be drawn into an enchanted world, one that is frequently humorous and full of unexpected twists. Each telling or event is inspired by oral traditions, history, food, smells, places, objects, and the audience themselves.
Working with museums, botanical gardens, libraries, wherever they are, Amanda has created bespoke pieces for The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow, The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, Chelsea Physic Garden in London, and The Singapore International Storytelling Festival.
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