Before you can press, dry or cast a single flower, you have to gather it. This short guide walks you through that first step: where to look, what to pick, and how to do it with care.

I'm Paula, a botanical artist. Foraging is where all my work begins, often no further than a back lane or a gap in the paving. In this guide I share what I've learned about finding botanicals near you, staying on the right side of the law, and gathering in a way that's kind to the plants and the pollinators that rely on them.

This guide is the foraging chapter from a book I'm working on. It's yours free, with my thanks for being here.

What's inside

• where to forage, even without woods or fields nearby

• the law and the ethics, kept simple

• what to pick, and what to leave behind

• the small kit that keeps your finds from wilting on the way home

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