All My Wild Mothers: Motherhood, loss and an apothecary garden

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At seven months pregnant, Victoria Bennett learns her sister has died in a canoeing accident. In that moment, her life changes. Andrew Waterhouse Award - Winner - for ‘an exceptional new or emerging poet whose work reflects a strong sense of place or the natural environment’ Each chapter of the book starts with a description of a plant, herb or flower, and their use or healing properties. They are nice reminders for modern day people of what nature has to offer.

Founder of the rural, radical Wild Women Press. Programming, delivering & producing Wild Women workshops, projects, live events & publications in rural Cumbria and beyond, working with over 2000 women. Curating the global #WildWomanWeb. Co-ordinating multi-artist projects and touring. Organising annual creative retreats for 20 years. www.wildwomenpress.com When Bennett is seven months pregnant the phone rings to inform her that her eldest sister has died in a canoeing accident. What is supposed to be a period of preparing for motherhood, turns into a seemingly never-ending grief. With no money and only the weeds they can find for free, Victoria and her young son set about transforming the rubble around them into a wild, apothecary garden. Stone by stone, and seed by seed, they discover that sometimes life grows, not in spite of what is broken, but because of it. An intimate weaving of memoir and herbal folklore, All My Wild Mothers is a story of rewilding our wastelands, and the transformation that happens when we do.” My latest poety pamphlet, To Start The Year From Its Quiet Centre is published by Indigo Dreams Publishing Ltd . Stone by stone, seed by seed, they discover that sometimes life grows, not in spite what is broken, but because of it.Sometimes, we try so hard to cut out the things that do not fit the idealised garden of this life – the loneliness, the loss, the struggle of it all – that we forget to see the beauty that it holds. And it is so beautiful. So, plant the seed. Find the small thing worth the gift of your hope. Whatever else comes, trust that it will grow, even if you do not see it flower.” An intimate weaving of memoir and herbal folklore, All My Wild Mothersis a story of rewilding our wastelands and the transformation that can happen when we do. So glad to have been part of bringing this story to a wider audience. It is extraordinary work..." (Ronnie Goodyer, Indigo Dreams Publishing Ltd) At the time of this initial event, she is pregnant with her first child, as the story continues her son becomes as much a part of the narrative as the author herself. So many people can relate I'm sure, to the struggles and heartache we're faced with over the years. Victoria writes, 'when I imagined our future, it held no grief', and I know that feeling well. When you settle down into adult life, you have a vision of what your life will be, and it doesn't involve suffering. But finding joy in the little things, like creating a garden full of small wonders, is a magic unto itself.

Bennett said: " All My Wild Mothers has been grown over the past 10 years, rooted in the landscape of loss, motherhood, and the complex demands of caregiving. I could never have imagined that one day, it would be published alongside some of our best loved, and treasured champions of the natural world. It is an honour to join the Two Roads family, and to be part of their commitment to publishing stories that inspire us to nurture what connects and sustains, rather than what divides." Truly a glimpse inside the world of the writer, stunningly honest storytelling as she shares the grief of loss and the power of new life entwined. Wonderfully written and totally immersive, hard to believe this is a debut. I absolutely loved this book. I liked how it was structured and how each chapter began with a description of a plant, its uses, and where they grow. Alkanet to lift melancholy, lemon balm to ward off evil, cow parsley to calm emotions and bring courage (Victoria needed that – she faced a lot of adversity). Its synopsis reads: “On 19th October 2007, at seven months pregnant, Victoria Bennett was looking forward to new motherhood and the promise of the future. The telephone rang, and the news she received changed everything. Aged just 47, her eldest sister had died in a canoeing accident.Publishing “Wounded Angels” (bestselling Franciscan author and poet, Fr. Murray Bodo) and “Orange Dust” (Foreword by The Dalai Lama) - Kenneth Wilson