The Quiet Role of Plants on a Language Holiday
There are no “typical days” on an English language holiday with us in Scotland. We build every experience around you.
Our methods use practical, everyday interactions and outdoor excursions to make English part of real life, not just something you study. No two holidays are the same.
This blog paints a picture of how our real-world English approach works in practice: learning through meaningful activities, Scottish culture, and engaging with things you genuinely enjoy.
M-L’s holiday focused on workplace English, but because she loves plants, we wove plant-based experiences throughout her whole week.
We also believe that being near living plants supports everyone’s learning, which is why our teaching space is full of them.
In this blog, we’ll take you through M-L’s English holiday, so you can get a feel for what your own experience might look like.
As you follow her week, notice how plants quietly create the calm, confident atmosphere language learning needs.
Visible Progress
Today I showed my student a basil plant.
I got it on the day she arrived, a pure coincidence. Every week we get an organic veg box to share through communal meals, and this time it included a small live basil plant. (Learn more about the role of food and drink on your English language holiday).
Now, on M-L’s final day learning with me here in Scotland, we began by reviewing everything she’s learned. (Yes, she can now use the Present Perfect naturally and confidently.)
After that, we spent a couple of hours talking about how she can build regular English practice into her life back home. We used plenty of going to to talk about intentions, a big shift, as she previously relied only on will.
And of course, I’ll send her all the web links we discussed once she’s home, along with my best accountability tips to help her stay on track.
Tea break Blue Noun Language Hub
Making Language Progress Visible
I showed her the basil plant during one of our frequent tea breaks. I was boiling the kettle when I noticed that, in her two weeks here, it had more than doubled in size.
It’s still a young plant, but clearly strong and healthy, with leaves I can use right away, and more ready to grow in their place.
In other words, it’s thriving.
“Just like your English!” I told her.
Plants in the Classroom
This is possibly a corny thing to say, but it is true. Two weeks ago, it was so much smaller and fragile. Now it is strong and ready to be used!
(Artist Adam J. Kurtz has a lot to say in favour of risking being corny by being sincere in his You Are Here – For Now podcast).
Live Language Learning with Plants and Scottish Gardens
We’ve talked about almost everything over the last couple of weeks. As she’s been welcomed into my world here in Scotland, she’s also stepped into my family life. We’ve covered a lot of ground together.
When your experience is memorable,
Your English is memorable.
This amazing plant was given to me by a student (Tania).
Love Your Classroom
Secondly, I have living plants all around Blue Noun Language Hub. I even share our little garden space on Instagram from time to time. The plants are part of being here: they bring joy, colour, and life.
Living plants also bring calm and relaxation to a room, which is so important in any learning space.
And although M-L and I have worked on a lot of technical language for her job, she’d told me (via our WhatsApp chat) that she was interested in herbalism and plants. So I planned a few plant-themed adventures for her time in Scotland.
‘Medieval’ herb garden at Stirling Castle (detail)
English Excursions in Outdoor Scotland
For example, we visited a private growing garden that produces market flowers for local florists — absolutely heavenly. We also explored Drummond Castle Gardens, and the medicinal herb garden at Stirling Castle (as well as the castle itself).
We took two private nature walks with local herbalist Claire Mullan, who shared history, folklore, and practical herbal knowledge about the plants around us — from how the humble nettle is useful in every season to why yew trees may have been planted in cemeteries.
At one point, the three of us even sat in the sun sketching flowers.
Screenshot from Instagram
Price per person
per week, 2026
What!! Not Talking?
Nope, sitting and drawing.
An English immersion holiday shouldn’t be nonstop talking or cramming. It’s just as much about discovering who you are — and who you can be — in a new culture as it is about building new language skills.
Companionable silence can speak volumes.
In that moment, the three of us shared something memorable that didn’t need words at all.
And this is the foundation for a lifetime of English learning: presence, connection, and feeling at ease in the language.
That’s what real immersion can offer at its best.
Only healthy English (not forced, stressful classroom English) keeps you talking. Combine meaningful travel experiences with targeted immersive coaching for powerful English that builds connections that truly matter.
Strowan Woodland Cemetery, Perthshire
“For my next learner(s), their English immersion week will have a different language emphasis and/or activities based on their jobs, language weaknesses and language goals – as well as their hobbies, travel interests and personalities”.
Ruth, 2023
Bespoke English Language Holidays
For M-L, the afternoons spent walking through woodlands and gardens were the perfect complement to her English learning — giving her the peaceful environment she needed to balance the more intense language work.
And now, this is true for all my learners. I intentionally feature plants, gardens, and living landscapes in every holiday, because nature is so good for the mind — and a calm, grounded mind supports real, lasting language learning.
For my next learner(s), their English immersion week will still look different. The focus and activities shift based on their job, language goals, weaker areas, hobbies, travel interests, and personality.
Every immersion holiday is shaped around what you need to grow.
(We always talk before you book — just to make sure we’re a good fit.)
Let’s Talk!
Interested in a chat about our English coaching holidays in Scotland?
You’ll get to see our hub – and tell me (Ruth) 3 things you’d like to see/do when you are here!
An English Language Holiday Full of Life
We explore plant life in different ways on all our English holidays — from guided nature walks and herbalism sessions to wreath-making and basket-weaving workshops. The living plants in our learning space are here to help you feel calm, grounded, and relaxed while you learn.
We’re always happy to include a little plant sketching or mono-printing on any holiday.
But if you’d love a full week dedicated to drawing, making, and exploring Scotland’s plant life, you can book one of the three places on our Sketch Scotland holiday.
Further Information
Do You Teach Professional English?
Yes, But Not How You Expect
English Immersion Holidays for Professionals
All our language holidays are for professionals, as we believe relaxing in English is the best way to learn.
However, you can choose to swap immersion activities for extra coaching if you are preparing for a specific work interview/presentation.
Talk to us. Book a Zoom.
When we understand what you need, we will quote you a price.
Discover How We Integrate Professional English into Our Holidays
Testimonials
British Council
The British Council listed our speciality Real-World English in its Top 2024 Language Teaching Innovations.
Quality Artists
Perth is the UK’s only UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art.
Friendly community
Perthshire was voted the Friendliest Region on Earth by Booking*com.
What more perfect combination could you need for an English conversation holiday?
5 Star Reviews
Read our 5 Star Reviews on Google
Listen to the Adam J. Kurtz You Are Here (for Now) podcast
Drummond Castle Gardens
Learn about Eco burials at Strowan Woodland Cemetery
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