Ysgol Chwyn - Weeds School

Cyd-ddysgu gyda chwyn ac eraill ar yr ymylon

Co-learning with weeds and others at the margin

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Yn yr arbrawf hwn gan Utopias Bach, rydym am archwilio gwahanol ddulliau o ddod i adnabod lle, trwy fapio, dysgu oddi wrth a chynghreirio gyda phlanhigion a chwyn ac eraill ar yr ymylon.

Mae’r Ysgol Chwyn yn cael ei hysbrydoli gan chwyn, fel ecosystem hunan-drefnus, hunan-hadu, yn egino ac yn tyfu mewn mannau annisgwyl

Rydym yn creu rhaglen ddysgu ar y cyd yn dechrau am 15.03 ar 21 Rhagfyr 2025, ac yn para am flwyddyn i ddechrau. Bydd yn cael ei siapio’n llwyr gan gynigion a diddordebau’r rhai sy’n cymryd rhan.

Cofrestrwch ar gyfer yr Ysgol Chwyn isod

Byddwn yn ychwanegu mwy at y dudalen hon (gweler isod) wrth i'r arbrawf hwn esblygu, neu gweler ein tudalen digwyddiadau am y digwyddiadau diweddaraf

In this Utopias Bach experiment, we want to explore different approaches to getting to know place, through mapping, learning from and alliances with plants and weeds and others at the margins.

The Weeds school School is inspired by weeds, as a self-organising, self-seeding ecosystem, sprouting and growing in unexpected places

We are creating a co-learning programme starting at 15.03 on 21st December 2025, and lasting initially for one year. It will be entirely shaped by the offers and interests of those taking part.

Please register for the Weeds School below

We will add more to this page (see below) as this experiment evolves, or see our events page for the latest events

Plants ‘n’ weeds - more observation: Liesbeth Williams

Digwyddiadau - Events

Cofestru Ysgol Chwyn : Weeds School registration

Live offers/explorations

See the Ysgol Chwyn - Weeds School Padlet for more, and to add your own

Rydym yn ystyried:

Sylwi - beth rydyn ni'n sylwi arno, pan rydyn ni'n talu sylw manwl? Sut mae hyn yn newid ein canfyddiad a'n gweithredoedd a'n cysylltiad? Mae Michael Jepson wedi dechrau Padlet ar-lein lle gallwch chi ychwanegu lluniau a thestunau: sylwi ar blanhigion a chwyn mewn craciau a mannau annisgwyl

Mapio - archwilio gwahanol fathau o fapio, mapiau hirdymor o erddi, potiau a lleoedd unigol, sut rydym yn gwneud penderfyniadau, beth rydym yn ei gynnwys a beth nad ydym yn ei gynnwys
Sut a beth allwn ni ei ddysgu gyda chwyn? Mae chwyn yn bwnc cymhleth, dadleuol a chyd-destunol. Yn aml mae chwyn ‘arall’, neu wedi’i labelu fel ‘ymledol’, yn goroesi ar yr ymylon, yn y craciau a’r ffiniau, mae ganddyn nhw ewyllys i fywyd ac ansawdd afreolus, y bywyd cyntaf ar dir aflonydd. A allent fod yn gynghreiriaid/athrawon ar gyfer cydlyniant cymdeithasol, lles a chynwysoldeb ein cymunedau?

Mae gennym ni “Ysgol Chwyn - Padlet Weeds School” lle gallwch chi ychwanegu eich cynigion a'ch syniadau.

We are considering:

Noticing - what do we notice, when we pay close attention? How does this change our perception and our actions and connection? Michael Jepson has started an online Padlet where you can add photos and texts: noticing plants and weeds in cracks and surprising places
Mapping - exploring different types of mapping, long term mapping of individual gardens, pots and places, how we make decisions, what we include and don’t include
How and what can we learn with weeds? Weeds are a complex, contested and contextual subject. Often ‘othered’, or labelled as ‘invasive’, weeds survive in the margins, in the cracks and boundaries, they have a will to life and an unruly quality, the first life on disturbed ground. Could they be allies/teachers for social cohesion, well-being and inclusivity of our communities?

We have an “Ysgol Chwyn - Weeds School Padlet” where you can add your offers and ideas.

Sarah Pogoda - Llyn Alaw

Invitations to create closer relationships with particular weeds

Weed map and portrait

1. Go outside and make an ‘inefficient map’ (mapping without looking) of all the weed people that you notice.

2. Notice one weed person that you would like to get to know

3. Make a portrait of your new weed friend.

Lisa introduced this at the session at Bangor Uni (23.11.25). Here are some of the results (click on thumbnail to see whole image)

A year

I will be finding a weed - or two - to record at winter solstice December 21st at 3.03 p.m. and will follow them through the year until winter solstice December 21st 2026 at 3.53 p.m - please join me?

Sarah Holyfield

Awen Weed

Find a weed or group of weeds you see everyday, who[1] wants to come to the Ysgol with you, to be a collaborator, contributor and receiver.

The attempt is to hold in your imagination the possibility that you can experience them inviting you, rather than you seeking them. Go outside (or go into your imagination) and ask the question ‘who would like to work in alliance at the Weeds School with me’? You might be surprised by the weed you end up with.

This weed(s) will be your friend, your lodestar, your awen [divine wind of inspiration], and your collaborator for the course. You are invited to develop your relationship with them over the course of the Weeds School and to invite them to be part of the School itself, as a contributor and receiver.

Lindsey Colbourne

[1] Note: we will refer to trees as they/them, recognizing their person-hood, rather than object-hood!

Make yourselves a Weeds School ‘bardic’ school name, which merges you and your awen weed(s).

Merge your given name and your weed(s), making belong to each other as one being, and setting your intention for your alliance. You might even make yourself a name label.

Begin initial collaborations with your awen weed(s)

by noticing and working regularly with them.

You could start by taking time to meditate on you and your weed, and how you can relate to each other, though thought, feelings, body, ears, eyes, taste, touch, in slow time.

You may like to do some research, perhaps using your bardic name as a starting point or ecological or traditional or mythological understandings.

How do they survive? How do they spread? How are your weeds judged? What do you share in common? What might you – and other humans - learn from them

Writing: In the presence of (or connected to) your weed(s) write continuously for 5 minutes without punctuation or stopping, just put down what comes to you. Perhaps it will be a language you don’t even understand.

Alternative: Draw in the presence of (or connected with) your weed(s) continuously for 5 minutes on a large sheet of paper without looking. Or perhaps you might use photography or video.

Ysgol Chwyn - Bywyd Pwll / Pond Life - an Invitation

My pond is small and sits in a corner of my small garden. I've planted a few marginals and odd plants around it. The water is clear with recent rain. Last month the glorious, fallen acer leaves floated on its surface, face up or down. I loved the colours then. Inside my pond there are some plants, stepping stones and shells.

I don't know much more about ponds; the First Book of pond life has alarmed me with huge images of rather scary-looking creatures. This website is more enlightening. I've dipped in and out of it.

So my Invitation is to create an Ysgol Chwyn Pwll / Weed School Pond from our creative means and energy.

My idea is that we exchange by snail mail, any thought, word, image, feeling, sense, drawing, seed or packet; painting, cutting, weed, stone, poem in any language, plant, curiosity or ponderance - arising from Bywyd Pwll / Pond Life.

The gift prompts a return offering, either to the same recipient or another interested in Bywyd Pwll who is willing to share their address on request from the wonderful map Lisa has created.

We ask for care before sending anything that might disturb or affect adversely a site, pond, garden, plant or local wild life. Any other cautions or comments are welcome. This is as far as I've got - shall we see how far it grows? More to follow.

Here is one image of my pond. There will be more in Michel's Padlet - Utopias Bach Plants within Cracks.

Diolch o galon. Steph