Angela Harding’s Seasonal Books: A Celebration of Nature
Angela Harding is a talented writer, artist and printmaker whose beautiful work celebrates the natural world around us. She has illustrated many books and written several of her own, creating a collection of gentle, thoughtful books.
Her stunning quartet of seasonal books is a wonderful gift for anyone who loves nature, art and the simple beauty of the world around us. The collection includes Spring Unfurled, Summer’s Hum, Falling into Autumn and Winter’s Song. Together, the four books make a seasonal gift set.
Angela’s writing and artwork are inspired by her close connection with nature. From her garden studio in Rutland, England’s smallest county, she looks out into the changing landscape and captures the beauty of each season. Her travels also take her further afield, from the peaceful Suffolk marshlands to the windswept hills of Yorkshire and the wild landscapes of Scotland.
Through her prints and words, Angela encourages us to slow down and notice the sound of birdsong, changing colours of leaves, arrival of new flowers and quiet signs that one season is giving way to another.
Falling into Autumn: A Printmaker’s View
Autumn season in England casts a golden hue and chill in the air, as nights draw in, birds prepare for migration and animals prepare for winter hibernation. Trees lose their leaves and , and horse chestnut trees drop their seeds (keep conkers and leaf mould away from dogs).
Falling into Autumn is a beautiful combination of artwork and writing, filled with Angela’s personal observations of the season. The book features more than 30 of her favourite prints, alongside reflections .
I am inspired by watching jays gathering acorns, owls hooting and the joy of hearing nightingales. In the shady part of my garden, ferns grow. By the autumn, these same leaves are starting to go brown at the edges.
This seems to be at the same time that the swallows gather to leave. Together with the ferns, they are markers that the summer has gone; that one season has finished and another is about to begin.
Winter’s Song: A Printmaker’s View
Read our post on keeping safe in snow.
Winter’s Song is a beautifully illustrated pocket hardback book celebrating the quiet magic of winter. It makes a thoughtful gift or a comforting bedtime read for anyone who enjoys nature and beautiful artwork.
Angela explores how winter transforms the landscape. Snow, frost and cold weather create a different world, revealing details that are often hidden.
When snow falls heavily, familiar paths and fields can suddenly look completely different. Animal tracks become visible in the snow, showing where hares, rabbits and birds have travelled. The countryside becomes a place of mystery, with every footprint telling a story.
Winter is often seen as a quiet season, but Angela reminds us that it is full of life. Birds continue their search for food, animals adapt to the colder weather and nature continues its cycle of change.
When the snow falls quickly, it brings dramatic change. Hare, rabbit and bird tracks become visible in the lanes and fields.
Spring Unfurled: A Printmaker’s View
Spring Unfurled celebrates the excitement and freshness of spring. This beautifully illustrated guide captures the season when the natural world begins to wake after winter.
Angela reflects on how birds know exactly when it is time to travel. As daylight changes and temperatures rise, they return to their breeding grounds. Later in the year, when evenings become cooler and days grow shorter.
The seasons are nature’s clock, bringing birds from distant shores to nest and breed. Seasons have no regard for official times. When the days shorten and the evening air is chilly, they know it’s time to leave.
Did you know all spring bulbs (including daffodils) are not safe near pets? Read more on pet-friendly gardens.
Summer’s Hum: A Love of Birds and Wildlife
The final book in the quartet, Summer’s Hum, celebrates the warmth, energy and abundance of summer.
Angela’s love of wildlife began when she was young. In an interview, she explains that while many children had pictures of pop stars on their bedroom walls, she had pictures of birds. Her fascination with nature has remained throughout her life and continues to inspire her artwork today.
Summer is a season filled with colour and sound. Gardens are alive with insects, flowers bloom, birds sing and the countryside feels full of movement. Angela captures these moments through her distinctive prints, combining careful observation with artistic imagination.
Her work reminds us that nature is all around us, whether we are walking through the countryside or simply sitting in our own garden.
A Beautiful Collection for Nature Lovers
Angela Harding’s seasonal books are more than just collections of beautiful images. They are invitations to notice the world around us and appreciate the small details that make each season special.
Her artwork, combined with her thoughtful writing, creates a sense of calm and connection with nature. Whether it is the arrival of spring flowers, the gentle sounds of summer, the colours of autumn or the stillness of winter, each book captures the unique character of the season.
Angela Harding’s work encourages us to look more closely, listen more carefully and celebrate the changing seasons in all their beauty.
In an interview, she notes that as a child, while other children had pictures of pop stars on their walls, she had images of different birds!
