Some trauma in life might be inevitable, but not many people would view it as essential. Ian Edwards (Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh) is the exception. He reckons that humans have a lot to learn from nature. Major storms, like the cyclone that hit Scotland in 2012, may have devastated the landscape, but they also kick-started the regenerative cycle. Does the same apply to humans? Or is it perverse to claim some traumas could ever be beneficial? In nature, diversity aids resilience and survival. What can we learn from this to help us weather increasingly stormy times?