Fran leading a walk in Ecclesall Woods, Sheffield
Naturally Focused was created to share ecological knowledge and promote the many benefits of engaging with nature. Drawing upon two decades of landscape exploration and a lifetime of working with plants, my aim is to help you connect with nature’s magic.
Spending time in natural surroundings is good for our physical health and mental wellbeing. ‘Nature cures’ now feature among the social prescriptions made by GPs. Learning about plants and trees is endlessly rewarding; the more you understand the more remarkable the world around you is revealed to be.
My love of nature led to me working as a landscape photographer for nearly a decade, providing me with an excuse to seek out Britain’s habitats from coast to mountaintop. This experience familiarised me with our island’s wild flora, complementing my existing knowledge of garden plants and their many uses. My well-earned status as a ‘plant nerd’, and my fifteen years of delivering adult education, qualifies me to teach sustainable gardening workshops.
Fran's published books, as both author and photographer
Having completed an MA in landscape architecture at the University of Sheffield, in 2017 I co-created Sheffield Woodland Connections project with ecologist Christine Thuring to support the Charter for Tree Charter, Woodlands and People. Since 2018 I have led interpretative woodland walks and nature photography workshops at various sites across the city with the support of Sheffield City Council.
If you want to get more out of nature then what better way to enhance your knowledge than in the company of a seasoned guide.
