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Keeping a Nature Journal
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Explore keeping a nature journal with me - learn to feel connected with nature as a way to feel relaxed and re-energized in your everyday life...
Nature journaling my Sunday morning walkWelcome to my Nature Journal Hub
Nature with Lotti is my companion space within Lotti Brown Designs — a gentle, practical place where I share ideas for nature journaling, drawing, and connecting creatively with the natural world.
It began as its own small project a few years ago, and I still love sharing its spirit here — a space for learning, noticing, and simply enjoying nature in your own way.
This is where I share pages from my own nature journals, seasonal reflections, and all the little quirks and stories I notice outdoors. For me, nature journaling is a way to slow down, notice the turning of the year, and reconnect with what really matters. I’d love for you to explore all this with me and perhaps find your own gentle rhythm of creativity and connection with nature too.
Getting Started with Nature Journaling
If you're just getting started with nature journaling, or even just curious about it, you're in the right place. Let's explore what nature journaling actually is, how to get mindful with it, and how to get started...
Nature journaling is for everyone. It’s not about making 'perfect' art, but about noticing, enjoying, and connecting with the natural world around you.
What's nature journaling?
Nature journaling is a fun and easy way to:
- Slow down
- Feel more connected with the natural world
- Feel energized
- Feel calm
- Feel mindful
- Get creative (in all kinds of ways)
- Learn about nature in your own backyard – or further afield, it’s up to you!
All on your own terms and at your own pace!
Nature journal with red pelargoniumsStart here...
Weekly Nature Journal Prompts
If you ever find yourself unsure what to draw, write, or notice in your nature journal, I’ve created a growing collection of gentle weekly prompts to help you begin. These aren’t challenges or tasks - just soft invitations to notice the season you’re in, at your own pace, in your own way. You can dip in whenever it feels helpful, and leave the rest behind. Explore the nature journal prompts here…
Seasonal Inspiration & Folklore
Each season has its own magic - owls at the equinox, the joy of greenfinches in autumn fields, or the return of swallows in spring. In these themed articles, I share my journal pages alongside a peppering of folklore, reflections, and creative inspiration. Think of it as stepping into the turning year with me...
Explore below:
I was lucky enough to have a goldfinch nest right outside my bedroom window and I recorded what I saw in my nature journal.
At the Autumn equinox, I find owls to guard the threshold of the year, goldcrests and greenfinches in fields and woodlands and follow the honking of migrating geese overhead...
Finding fungi in October - little symbols of connectivity and renewal, straight from fairyland!
In November, the birds and berries foretell a harsh winter to come - following seasonal folklore from nature...
Exploring the folklore of the bright berries gracing our December hedgerows...
Take a closer look at the folklore of our favourite December berries here..!
A Year of Nature Journaling
A year of nature journaling is a quiet companion to the seasons - a way of noticing how the world shifts, softens, and returns again. I share what it’s been like to keep a nature journal through an entire calendar year (2025), following the rhythms of winter stillness, spring song, summer abundance, and autumn gathering, one imperfect, attentive moment at a time.
Read about my year of nature journaling here...
You can also see highlights from my first 12 months of nature journaling (June 2024 - July 2025) here... You might also like my in-depth look at each month - available in the 'Nature Journal Archive' sections just below...
Nature Journal Archive
When I first started nature journaling, I recorded my journaling month by month. These early entries are a personal diary of discovery, full of the small details that helped me learn to notice and appreciate the world around me. You can explore the archive below...
Watch me flip through my first full nature journal in the video below - you can also see more detail month by month in the section below that, too...
This nature journal is 200 pages and took me around 10 months to fill.
I've really enjoyed looking back through it and it's surprising how well I can remember some of the things I saw when I see my drawings and read my page and relive that feeling of feeling connected to nature too! This is why I love keeping a nature journal!
Click play above to watch the video.
You can also check out one or more of the pages below to explore month by month...
My First Year of Nature Journaling Month by Month
July 2024-July/Aug 2025
2024
2025
Get weekly nature journal prompts through the year for your own journaling here...
Extra Inspiration
Alongside my nature journals, I love sharing the books, creative ideas, and tools that inspire me including some of my favourite nature reads.
I hope you’ll be able to find ways to spark your own connection with the natural world.
Best Books for Nature Lovers
Some of my best book recommendations for nature lovers and for feeling inspired when keeping a nature journal...
I'll be adding more books to this list all the time - let me know if there's a nature book you love and would like to see here...
Why bother keeping a nature journal..?
Nature journaling is not about making pretty pictures - it's all about your personal connection to nature, instead!I hope I can inspire you to get started with nature journaling too and to do it your own way…
The most important thing I’ve learned since starting my journey with nature journaling is that it’s not about making pretty pictures!!
As an artist, I’ve sometimes put too much pressure on myself to create ‘perfect’ artworks and in doing so, in a certain way, I’ve forgotten about the real reason to create art and draw…
It’s not for the pretty picture or the end result, although sometimes that’s a bonus. No – drawing is just for fun. It’s for enjoyment!
Personal drawing, like this, is not about the results...
Who ate my leaf? Use a nature journal to explore curiosities in nature
Why has this acorn gone so bumpy? Discovering all about Knopper Galls in my nature journalIt’s about the process – that’s the process of zoning out from your busy mind and tuning into your senses – basic mindfulness...
Which is why art (of any kind) and/or nature journaling is so good for you, both mentally and emotionally...
And, actually, you don’t have to draw at all, if it’s not your thing (but you'll still get all the benefits of keeping a nature journal). How cool is that? No pressure at all!
If you do love art and creating, though, as I do, I’ve found that this is a fantastic way to improve your skills (whether you're an absolute beginner or already a professional artist) and really connect with your creativity and get lots of ideas for what to draw or paint next...
As well as to draw just for your own personal satisfaction and to experience the many benefits of feeling connected to nature - I'm finding this is more important than anything else!
Drawing a rose from my garden in my nature journalMore to Explore
I find that keeping a nature journal is great inspiration for creating my nature art and illustrations - explore these here (earlier works)... And my new art collections here!
There is a difference between nature journaling and nature drawing, though - find out more here...
Nature Journaling Course
Downloadable PDF nature journaling course - 120+ pages, 20 exercisesIf you'd like to explore nature journaling more, please consider joining me for my 'Imperfect Nature Journaling' online course - I've called it this to remind us to nature journal for the process of connecting with nature to feel good and not to put pressure on ourselves to create pretty pages which can quickly ruin the fun and the benefits...
It's a series of 20 lessons (in downloadable PDF format) which are great exercises that you can do in your own nature journal to help you try out different ideas and techniques.
This will help you get the most out of your nature journaling sessions and understand what style of nature journaling is the best for you personally.
If this sounds like something you might like, you can find out more about the course here...
Shall we stay in touch..?
Each month, I share stories from my own nature journal, new art from my studio, and simple seasonal inspiration to help you feel more connected with the turning year...
Recent Articles
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Wren Folklore, Symbolism & Winter Meaning - British Bird Art
Jan 14, 26 05:43 AM
Explore wren folklore, symbolism and winter meaning in British tradition. Learn why the wren is the 'King of the Birds' and see my hand-drawn wren art. -
A Year of Nature Journaling Through the Seasons - Quiet Noticing
Jan 06, 26 04:54 AM
Explore a year of nature journaling through the seasons - winter stillness, spring song, summer abundance and autumn reflection, one quiet moment at a time. -
Nature Journal Prompts
Jan 05, 26 09:44 AM
Easy nature journal prompts to inspire and encourage you - one per week...
Shop My Current Collection of Art Prints
Find my stockists for all my earlier artworks here...
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