Where the Nettle’s Power Lives
At this time of year, nettles are barely visible.
After autumn dies back, their leaves are withered, slightly blackened by the chilly air and winter winds, and to the untrained eye, they appear to have almost disappeared.
It is important to say this clearly.
Nettles are not at the height of their visible power now.
What they are doing instead is far more interesting.
The seasonal intelligence of nettles
Nettles move their strength through the year with remarkable intelligence.
In spring, their energy rises. Fresh green shoots emerge, full of vitality and nourishment. This is the season of renewal and gentle tonics.
In early and mid-summer, nettles stand tall and abundant. Their leaves are rich in minerals. Their fibres are long and strong. Their seeds begin to form. This is outward, expressive power.
As mid-summer moves towards autumn, the plant changes direction. Energy begins to travel downward. Seeds mature. Growth slows. The nettle is no longer expanding; it is gathering.
Then comes the die-back.
Power that withdraws, not disappears
When nettles retreat from view, they are not weakening.
They are concentrating.
All vitality is drawn back into the roots. Everything the plant has learned and gathered is stored safely below the surface. What looks like absence is actually preservation.
This is not a failure of growth.
It is preparation for survival.
Through winter, the nettle holds its strength quietly. Roots remain alive, resilient, and ready. The plant rests, not because it is finished, but because it understands timing.
What nettles teach us at Solstice
Solstice marks a turning point. Light changes direction. The rhythm of the year reminds us that nothing is static.
Nettles show us that power does not always look like productivity. There are seasons when visibility matters less than endurance. There are times when retreat is the wisest response.
At this point in the year, nettles offer a profound lesson.
You do not need to be seen to be strong.
You do not need to be producing to be alive.
Rest is not an ending. It is a form of intelligence.
Carrying this wisdom forward
Nettle Revolution is about learning from nature, not forcing ourselves against it.
As we move through Solstice, we are invited to root ourselves more deeply. To honour what has been gathered. To trust that what is held quietly now will rise again in time.
The nettle will return.
Stronger for having rested.
And so will we.
With gratitude,
Jane
The Nettle Lady
Photo taken on Ide Hill, Kent,UK