Celtic Tree Calendar — 'Native Circles' Birchwood Wheel

A stunning calendar print of an original pen drawing by artist Emily Robyn Archer on high-quality recycled paper mounted onto a circular Birchwood board.

This wheel is for the tree-lovers; those who want to learn from the trees as they change throughout the year. 

The Celtic Tree Calendar shows the changes of the year through trees, not months. This calendar follows a lunar cycle (28 days per cycle). That means there are 13 trees total, differing from the 12 months of a Roman calendar.

Our Celtic ancestors revered trees as sacred. Trees were so important to our Celtic ancestors that the word for "knowledge" also means "wood." These sacred groves were also necessary for survival. The Celtic people relied on them for shelter, tools and food. They marked their year with the changing gifts the trees provided.

Today, it’s more important than ever to protect our native trees and their many gifts. This piece invites you to treasure your trees. Use this Celtic tree calendar to allow the trees to guide you through a year.

Take a closer look:

Connect with the Tree of Life

Start by looking at the centre to see a small tree with branches reaching out and a root system mirroring its canopy, almost joining the two. You can find this Tree of Life symbol, known as "Crann Bethadh" in Irish, in many indigenous cultures. The Tree of Life represents the connection between the earth and the spirit world. Celts believed the trees were their ancestors, gatekeepers to the Celtic Otherworld.

Learn Celtic Wisdom

While the Celtic Tree Calendar is rooted in ancient wisdom, this calendar is based on Robert Graves’ interpretation. In the 1940s, Graves arranged 13 months by trees, using his knowledge of Celtic mythology and the Ogham alphabet. 

Encircling the Tree of Life are eight festival days of the Wheel of the Year (you can learn more about the Wheel of the Year here [link to Wheel of the Year product page]). The next circle marks the 12 months of the year. Sprouting from this circle are 13 native trees and plants that were spiritually and culturally significant to our Celtic ancestors. Each tree is identified by its Irish name, though they originally would have been written in the ancient Ogham script. 

Look closer to discover small pieces of folklore or spiritual beliefs connected to each tree and plant. For example, the Willow tree, known in Irish as "Saileach," is a master of adaptability. It's a feminine tree connected to the element of water and associated with the lunar cycle. You can deepen your understanding of each tree and delight in gaining new insights month by month.

Identify native Irish trees

Botanical illustrations of each tree adorn the outer ring, detailing their leaves, catkins, flowers, berries or seeds. Use these detailed images to get to know these trees more intimately, and identify how they change throughout the year. You'll notice a ring of branches frames the calendar - the bare winter twigs of each tree. Learning these bare branches will help you identify the trees in the middle of winter when their other features aren't present.

How to use your Celtic Tree Calendar

Turn this calendar every month or so to allow these beautiful trees to guide you through the year. Make an intention each month to spend time with a certain tree - using your wheel, get to know its shape from a distance, its bark, leaves, and habitat. Children also enjoy finding their "birthday tree" and recognizing traits and patterns they share with their special tree - maybe you will, too.