The control of this collection of 33 objects was relinquished to members of Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust.  Participants of a volunteering group were invited to select a natural object they found interesting, writing why on accompanying slips of paper.

The result is a collection of leaves, lichen, berries, rocks and flowers. Spindle fruit were chosen because they brought ‘winter bling’ to the forest, cross-leaved heather picked due to its appeal to the rare silver-studded blue butterfly and a rock chosen simply for its ‘lovely shape’.

Although: 3 of the 33 have been faked, made from paper, plaster and paint, and slipped into the overall collection. Viewers were asked to spot the fakes.

Full collection of 33 items

Stick (plaster and acrylic paint)

Pine cone (paper and watercolour)

Lichen rock (plaster, coffee and acrylic paint)