I hope you are enjoying this month already - I could write a whole love letter to the month of May and why I am so mad about it. Cow Parsley, Blossom, Solomon’s Seal, Bank Holidays, Chelsea Flower Show, fragrant air in the mornings, light lingering evenings, strawberries, elderflower, tiny perfect new potatoes, eating outdoors, nice weather for standing on sporting sidelines, linen is back, raffia returns etc…
So naturally my Willow Loves this month has a summer flavour and some skincare and make-up faves… and more of the same theme in our 6 extra’s at the end for our paid community.
My flowery tip this month is a spring garden (in a giant shell!) or any container you can find - the latest in my The Magic of Flowers series for YouTube.
Elderflower is in season and I’ve shared a recipe to forage and create your very own elderflower cordial from my book, The Wild Journal.
For wellness, we break the greek yoghurt code - how to balance taste, calories and protein content (which are quite surprising!) thanks to nutritionist Emma Bardwell - her new book is full of great recipes and helpful information like this.
Finally, we round up things to do or book ahead for this month…
This is my monthly free edition, but almost every Friday, I send out an email to my paid subscribers with flowery, fashion, food and wellness content, and other related posts in between with guests, interviews and ideas to inspire, create and nurture - with my goal being to share as much as I can so we can all find joy everyday.
Wishing you all a sunny, happy and healthy month ahead wherever you are.
With Love,
Willow
PS. this is a long read so might be best to read in app/web browser (just in case it cuts off in your email).
PPS. A note on our edits - all brands are lovingly chosen or approved by me. For some of them, we may receive an affiliate commission if you purchase an item.
Willow Loves
What I’m mad for this May…






Top row, left to right
Another denim overshirt? Well yes because this is THE ONE!
A pineapple raffia bag from Anya Hindmarch - no words!
The M.A.B.E relaxed cotton summer shirt of dreams
The best Breton I’ve ever owned from Navy Grey
This brilliant new Vitamin C Glow Serum from Votary truly does what it says..
A palm print bikini from H&M? I’m packing my bags…
Willow Loves… (6 more!)
(scroll to the end for our paid subscribers)
Flowery Trick - bulbs in a shell!
My new episode in the spring series of The Magic of Flowers on YouTube has just gone live - how to create a spring garden in a shell! You could use any container you like - bowl, basket, whatever you have… You can watch it here on YouTube.
Stripe Me Up
Colourful striped trousers for some Springy fun in the sun!
In the studio wearing Boden Westbourne Linen Trousers in Peacock, Blue & Red Stripe, with Collared Henley Jumper in Strawberry Tart Red & Skinny Plaited Belt in Post Box Red.
Nine Striped Summer Trousers…









Top row, left to right
La Veste Parasol Pants Blue
Mango Straight Striped Trousers in Green
The Frankie Shop Micra Stripe Wide Leg Pants
Middle row, left to right
Boden Dulwich Stripe Linen Trousers in Strawberry Tart
Boden Westbourne Linen Trousers in Peacock, Blue & Red Stripe
Me&Em Stripe Wide Leg Crop Trousers in Bright Papaya Cream
Bottom row, left to right
Boden Dulwich Linen Trousers in Bright Rainbow Stripe
La Veste Pippi Pants 06
Boden Westbourne Linen Trousers in Bright Blue Stripe
In Season… Elderflower
From late May to mid-June, green spaces explode with elderflower: deliciously scented, tiny creamy-white flowers that hang in clusters, shouting to be picked and, as far as I’m concerned, turned immediately into a cordial.
It’s best to pick elderflower on warm, dry and sunny days – not when it’s raining – when the buds are fresh and newly opened. And not from the side of a busy main road if you can help it.
A curved walking stick is quite a handy tool to take with you so you can hook out-of-reach heads. Make sure the elderflower heads aren’t playing home to any insects before you use them for anything!
Recipe for about 1 litre of Elderflower cordial, Taken from my book The Wild Journal. Illustration by Nina Fuga
Ingredients
25 elderflower heads (shake them before using in case there are any insects lingering)
finely grated zest and juice of 3 unwaxed lemons and 1 orange (about 150ml juice in total)
1kg caster sugar
1 heaped tsp citric acid (optional)
(this acts as a preservative as well as giving it a slight tang)
Tools
Fine grater
Large saucepan
Muslin or fine mesh sieve
Funnel
2 x 1 litre sterilized bottles with lids or corks
Put the flower heads in a large bowl and add the lemon and orange zest.
Bring 1.5 litres water to the boil and pour over the elderflower and citrus zest mix.
Cover with a clean cloth and leave them overnight to infuse at room temperature.
Strain the liquid through a piece of muslin or fine mesh sieve and pour into a saucepan. Add the sugar, lemon and orange juice and citric acid if you are using it.
Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer and cook for a couple of minutes. It will develop a syrupy thickness.
Bite-size wellness
We all want to spend less time on our phones and wading through the often overwhelming messaging on how to prioritise wellbeing. So we’re introducing - bite-size wellness tips - great ideas we come across that can be easily implemented into our busy lives.
First up, we speak to Emma Bardwell, the nutritionist specialising in weight loss, menopause and healthy aging, to break down the Greek yoghurt code - which one to use and how to balance the taste/protein/fat content, and the results are surprising!
Here Emma breaks down the question she gets asked the most…
Which Greek yoghurt should I be using?
0% or full fat?
As with all things nutrition this decision depends on what your goals are but it’s worth considering the differences in nutritional content of each option...
Here we’ve looked at Fage Greek Yoghurt to compare as it’s readily available in most supermarkets but there are many great options…
If you want to lose a bit of body fat, you might consider 0%. It has almost 1/3 of the calories of 10%. Interestingly, it also has more protein! Per 100g, it has 10g of protein.
The 10% has only 6g of protein.
The 5% has 9g of protein so almost the same as the 0%, but it has double the calories.
In terms of other nutrients you need to think about more than just protein, the calcium in each of them is almost the same - 120mg of calcium per 100g.
Now if you’re thinking - ‘I’ve been told that fats are really important’, you’re absolutely right. However, we’re talking about our diet in its entirety. You don’t have to get fats from your yoghurt, you can get them elsewhere - avocados, nuts, seeds for example, there are plenty of places where you can get healthy fats.
Something else to consider is of course - taste! You may well find that the full fat (10%) tastes much richer, more creamy and more delicious than the 0% one. You may also find that the full fat (10%) fill you up more than the 0%, so you need to eat more of the 0% in order to feel the same effects as the one with more fat content…
Also, authentic Greek yoghurt doesn’t contain added sugars of flavourings that are often added to diet/low fat yoghurts… so even a 10% Greek yoghurt has no additives or sweeteners. Just make sure you’re buying ‘authentic’ not ‘Greek style’ yoghurt.
There is a bit of trial and error involved as with all nutrition - so you do you…
See Emma break it down on her instagram post too…
For more nutritional advice, do order Emma’s brilliant new book - The 30g Plan® - How to eat more protein, plants and fibre to lose weight and feel great


Fun flower fact
Tulip petals are edible! We’ve been inspired and reminded of this by a post on Sarah Raven’s instagram here, so before we get to the end of the season, why not add tulip petals to salads and on top of cakes, for some pretty entertaining…
May Arts & Culture
What to see, visit & plan this month…
Chelsea Flower Show is here again! 20-24 May. If you haven’t got tickets don’t despair, there is so much going on in and around the area to celebrate Spring in the city. Chelsea in Bloom (the prestigious annual floral art show and London’s largest free-to-attend festival of flowers) will be wonderful to see again this year too…
Visit Chatsworth House for the Gorgeous Nothings flower exhibition running now through the summer
Skye McAlpine had a gorgeous pop-up at 48 Elizabeth St Belgravia in London until 7th of June
Bring the outside in at home with Susannah Taylor’s newly launched floral fine art flower prints
The Women for Women car boot sale is on 17th May in the Selfridges car park
Book tickets to Glyndebourne Summer Festival starting 16 May
Plan ahead to visit The Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy starting 18 June
Take the family to Giffords Circus around the countryside this summer