A Wilding Year

An exquisitely illustrated celebration of wildlife, highlighting the importance of rewilding and returning to nature.

Hannah Dale, the artist behind the successful gift company Wrendale Designs, takes readers through a year on her farm in rural Lincolnshire, England, where she has undertaken an ambitious rewilding project. Together with her husband, she is attempting to return the land to nature and increase the number of species their land can support.

Embracing the beauty to be found in untidy landscapes has also provided Dale with new sources of inspiration for her paintings. A Wilding Year is both a journal and a sketchbook, in which Dale keeps a visual record of the fascinating species she finds on the farm. Until now, she has never published her sketchbooks, so fans of hers will see for the first time an insight into the way she works. Some of the beautifully illustrated species featured are brown hares, buzzards, short-eared owls, fox cubs, and kingfishers.

This fascinating account of a year in rural England brings to life the beauty and power of nature in every season.

Hannah Dale runs Wrendale Designs, a stationery and gift design company that specializes in endearing illustrations depicting British wildlife. Her other Batsford titles include: A Dog’s Life, The Farmyard Set, The Young Ones, The Country Set, Born to be Wild, and Flying the Nest. Her work is inspired by the beautiful countryside. Dale studied zoology at Cambridge University and has recently embarked on a large rewilding project on her farm in Lincolnshire. She can be found on social media @wrendaledesigns.