In an age of digital distraction and relentless screen time, it is a rare and wonderful thing to stumble upon a story of pure, unadulterated, analogue creativity. The mystery of the Hackney Marshes tree notices, which had been quietly baffling and delighting local walkers for months, has finally been solved. The source of the charming little signs that have appeared on trees along the banks of the River Lea, each one spinning a whimsical tale about the life and times of its host, has been revealed to be an eleven-year-old schoolgirl named Niovi. Her project, the ‘Talking Tree Collective’, is a beautiful testament to the power of imagination and a gentle reminder to look a little closer at the natural world around us.
Advertisement
For the past year, Niovi has been using her family walks along the Hackney Marshes as an opportunity for creative writing. She looks at a tree, observes its shape, its knots, and its scars, and she invents a backstory. A dent in the trunk becomes the site of a long-forgotten battle with a clumsy dragon. A twisted branch becomes the arm of a grumpy old storyteller who has seen centuries of history unfold. The notices, written in neat handwriting and attached with simple string, are not grand artistic statements. They are small, intimate invitations to engage with nature in a different way. They encourage passers-by to stop, to read, and to imagine the world from the perspective of a gnarled old oak or a slender young willow.
