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Royal Road to Plant Recognition
This is a little 'game plan' towards learning about plants and plant recognition.
The idea is to turn you from an urban dweller whom, while on a walk in the countryside, says things like "Oh my goodness, there's nature everywhere!" and "Why do these trees have different leaves?"
So, this is the best process I've known, but also the less effort. There are other ways, but there are also more effective ways. However, I have not done anything as entertaining as this method I'm describing for you next.
Firstly, you'll need to find somewhere that allows you to go on a walk where you'll see trees and the alike. If you're in London, there are plenty of parks you can go to. You would want to find somewhere that's predominantly green for at least half an hour...graffiti doesn't count.
Secondly, get a book centred on British plants, obviously. Make sure that it's full of coloured pictures and awesome descriptions. I'd highly recommend going to the library first and foremost. Borrow a book and try it out. Once you've got a book that you can work with, look into acquiring your own copy. I'd not recommend dropping it out of a library window and picking it up when you leave. I would highly recommend using Amazon or Ebay though.
Thirdly, go on the same walk day after day, and learn 1 plant. However, this is where is goes a little off the normal track. Once you've learned the plant, refer to it next walk as you go past it, and the next walk the next day, and the next day. After a while, you'll be stunned how many new plant's you have learned. Think about this, in 1 year you could learn 365 different plants. How many years have passed and you've not learned those plants yet. It's only 1 plant a day, but damn that's a lot when they add up.
Even better, walk with someone else and both do it together. It makes you feel like a nutter, but then you both laugh about it, and that makes you look even madder. But that's okay because you're having fun and learning.
Make sure you look at each plant before you point at it and call it it's name. Point at an Elm; "Hello Elm".
The reason for saying their species out loud is because this is the same method to learn a person's name. Repetition. Which is why you keep calling that plant by it's name.
To make it even more fun (we're beyond madness now....we're in education mode) point out more of the same plants, e.g. Maple. The 3th tree you see is a maple, so you point at it and say "Maple". Three minutes later on the same walk you see another maple, so guess what you do here? You point and say "Maple" again.
Please note, you can't just stand in a field for 30 minutes and keep saying "Grass"..."More grass"...."Lots more grass." because that's completely defeating the idea of helping yourself learn.
Try it out. In 2 months you'll be able to name 60 different species of plant! That's pretty cool if you ask me. All it's taken is 30 minutes a day. Better still, you'll have walked for 30 hours in total, over those same 2 months. Exercise and education. What more could you wish for? You want to know what those plants can do and be used for? Well, that's for you to enjoy when you get home at the end of the walk. Check the books and then check online.
If you start today, this time next year you'll be walking in many different places and be able to name pretty much every plant you see. That is awesome, if you ask me.
Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism - Thomas Jefferson
Those who sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither - Benjamin Franklin
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