Nightingale and the Dogrose handkerchief

The nightingale has been a metaphor and inspiration for poetry, beauty and love for centuries. Right back to Homer in The Odyssey, later in Ovid’s Metamorphisis, Keats and Oscar Wilde have used the song of the nightingale to illustrate the pure beauty of nature, all the more poignant from such a small and unassuming brown coloured bird. They are now an indicator of the damage done to our planet as climate change causes increasing drought and a shifting of the seasons, interfering with their migration and habitats. I have been a fan of the folk singer, Sam Lee for a number of years and his celebration of and singing with nightingales has deepened my interest and concern for them.

The rose is referencing Oscar Wilde’s allegorical story, The Nightingale and the Rose which strikes a chord now in a time without seasonality. That story is set in winter, a red rose cannot be found, but we live in a time when you can buy a red rose all year long. I wanted to draw a wild rose from our hedgerow in Summer that I use often in herbal medicine, teas and in cooking, petals and rose hips.

The border for many of my designs illustrates trees chosen for their associations with old customs and beliefs. They are Elder, Oak, Ivy and Holly. I have also included some of the phases of the moon.

This handkerchief is sewn by me in the caravan I live in on a farm in Mid Wales. The fabric is 100% organic cotton. The approximate size for each handkerchief is 320 mm x 320 mm. Please note this new batch has a white and NOT pink border.