Hi!
I am Tara, I have lived in Glenbrittle for four years now. Between the iconic Cuillin mountains and the beautiful black sand beach, I do not have to look far for inspiration. Given the harsh environment of Glenbrittle, I have always been in awe of the resilience of the local wildflowers. There is little to no shelter from the strong winds here, yet every summer there is an abundance of beautiful wildflowers to keep the bees and the butterflies happy.
Some of my favourite wildflowers to work with are:
Meadowsweet:
An ancient herb with the sweet smell of marzipan. Traditionally used to flavour mead and decrease inflammation. The Gaelic name of the plant “Lus Cuchulainn, reflects its legendary use to treat the great warrior Cuchulainn in a meadowsweet bath. In many parts of the Highlands, it was used medicinally to treat fever, and the scent of the blossom was said to cure headaches.
Crocosmia:
Due to its vibrant red colour, this flower symbolises passion, energy and joy.
Yarrow:
Also known as Devils Nettle. Used since ancient times to heal wounds and stop bleeding. It is also said to ward away evil.
Meadowpea:
A scrambling plant with yellow flowers.
Wild Angelica:
This bittersweet herb can be used as an aid to digestion. It was used as a vegetable until the 20th century.
Common Knapweed:
The thistle-like purple flower attracts clouds of butterflies.
Bracken fern:
A valuable wildlife plant, it is great at supporting the native caterpiller moth.
My pendants and earrings are made using aluminium. They are hand dyed and imprinted with local wildflowers in Glenbrittle. The chain and jump rings are sterling silver. They vary in size and each one is unique.
The name "Lus Na Cuillin" means plants of the Cuillin in Scottish Gaelic. As an Irish girl, I do not speak Scottish Gaelic (yet) but have found the similarities between Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic very comforting while living here. The name came about while I was researching the different wildflowers and found the Gaelic name for meadowsweet to be "Lus Cuchulainn" after the legendary Irish warrior Cuchulainn.
