About
The peace and stillness of a slow morning – kettle on, light just turning gold, with nowhere urgent to be, and the sense that you have time to just be yourself. That’s the feeling I wanted to capture here.
I’m Rowan, and Bracken & Blossom grew out of a wish to live a little more intentionally – closer to the seasons, closer to the land, closer to the small rituals that make ordinary days feel a bit more magical. After years in a demanding, fast-paced career, I found myself craving exactly the opposite: slowness, rootedness, space and solace to create something entirely my own. My focus here is on helping others to slow down too.
I’m based in Scotland, where wild landscapes and ever-changing weather have a way of teaching you to notice things – the moss that keeps growing through the winter, a certain slant of afternoon light, the first frost creeping in. That noticing is really what this whole space is about.
Here, you’ll find:
- Slow living & seasonal rituals – small ways to mark the turning of the year
- Wildcrafted inspiration – foraged finds, botanical curiosities, and lots of time spent outdoors
- A cosy, witchy home & kitchen witchery – bringing a little intention and magic into everyday spaces, from seasonal cooking to simple rituals, and food as its own kind of magic
- Guides to favourite places around Scotland and beyond – walks, wanders and what I notice along the way, whatever the weather
- Folklore & history – the wild and romantic stories of Scotland’s past, from goddesses and legends to the layers of history beneath the places we walk, sometimes with a little help from my father’s old guidebooks
- Mindfulness & guided listening – calming audio for the seasons of the year and the seasons of life, from Wheel of the Year meditations to a slow walk through a misty forest, to listen to wherever you are (Coming Soon!)
Alongside the writing, I’m also starting to create gentle audio to keep you company: guided meditations for the turning of the year, and slow, imagined walks through misty Scottish forests and quiet morning streets. They’re made to be listened to with a cup of tea, on a wet afternoon, or whenever you need a moment to breathe. Nothing complicated, just a little space to slow down and notice.
This is a space for anyone who wants their days to feel a little slower, a little wilder, and a little more enchanted. Fàilte! (Welcome!) I’m so glad you’re here.
A note on affiliate links
You’ll sometimes spot affiliate links dotted through my posts – if you click through and buy something, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It really helps keep Bracken and Blossom running, and I only ever link to things I’d genuinely recommend or use myself.
That said, I’m aware there’s a bit of a tension here. So much of what I write about – noticing what is around us and slowing down with the seasons – is rooted in paying attention to and using what’s already around us, not in buying more things. I don’t want that to get lost. So my hope is to keep a balance: where I can, I’ll share ideas for reusing what you already have, and only suggest buying new when it’s genuinely useful or hard to find another way. I’m planning to build out a proper list of places to find good second-hand kit and materials, so keep an eye out for that.
Ultimately, I’d rather you borrow a jam pan from a neighbour or pick up a something secondhand than buy new on my say-so. If a link ever nudges you toward buying something, I hope it’s because it’ll genuinely last and be loved – not just add to the pile.
Slow down and stay captivated,
Rowan 🍂