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Ever since Caitlin Moran decided to “invite” nature into her back garden in north London, there’s been a steady stream of visitors and new residents: butterflies, bees, frogs, newts, woodpeckers, goldfinches …
Their presence, including a bird of prey paddling in her pond, has done wonders for her mental health. “If you have ADHD, like me, you have permanently lower levels of dopamine, so you tend to go online and get a little dopamine hit, or you comfort eat or smoke or drink,” she explains. “But if you want a hit that’s good for you, put a feeder in your garden and every time you see a bird or butterfly go past, you’ll get a massive hit. The day I saw a peregrine falcon was better than any ecstasy tablet I’ve ever taken.”
Her decision to ‘rewild’ her garden – tearing up the lawn, removing the patio and metal planters, installing two ponds – was one of many steps Moran took during a year-long quest to feel more hopeful about life, the world and the future of humanity.
