The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is home to a wide array of unique side quests for players to pursue. During the player's first visit to Whiterun, they will gain access to a large assortment of side quests, but "The Blessings of Nature" is by far one of the most interesting.
"The Blessings of Nature" side quest in Skyrim tasks the Dragonborn with finding a unique weapon and using it to restore the Gilderdreen tree in Whiterun. It's a pretty straightforward quest, but it does feature an easily missable second ending if players fail to bring a certain companion to the Eldergleam Sanctuary.
How To Start The Blessings Of Nature Side Quest
Skyrim's "The Blessings of Nature" side quest can be started by speaking to Danica Pure-Spring in Whiterun. This NPC tends to wander around a bit, but she can more often than not be found inside the Temple of Kynareth. Upon speaking to her, she will explain to the Dragonborn that the Gildergreen tree she tends to is looking worse for wear, before asking the protagonist for their help.
Before the Dragonborn can restore the Gildergreen to what it once was, they must first acquire a unqiue weapon known as Nettlebane. According to Danica, this blade is used by Hagravens when sacrificing Spriggans, but it also has other uses.
Where To Find Nettlebane
Nettlebane can be found in Orphan's Rock, a small campsite located southwest of High Hrothgar. If players have yet to visit this location, they can reach it quickly by fast-traveling to Helgen and proceeding northeast and then north.
Climbing to the top of Orphan's Rock itself, the Dragonborn will be forced to fight and defeat a Hagraven. Once the creature has been killed, Nettlebane can be looted from its body and returned to Danica in Whiterun.
How To Get The Eldergleam Sap Or The Eldergleam Sapling
Speaking to Danica, she will ask the Dragonborn to travel east to Eldergleam Sanctuary, located northeast of Ivarstead, and harvest some Eldergleam sap from the Eldergleam tree there. Before leaving the Temple of Kynareth, however, the Dragonborn can approach Maurice Jondrelle, who will ask if he can accompany the Dragonborn on their journey.
Once inside the Eldergleam Sanctuary, players will need to head west toward the Eldergleam tree and use Nettlebane to cut through the large roots blocking the path. At the top of the hill, Maurice will approach the Dragonborn and ask them not to harm the tree and will suggest a different way to restore the Gildergreen tree in Whiterun.
If players refuse to take Maurice's advice and choose to interact with the Eldergleam tree, they will acquire the Eldergleam sap, and a group of Spriggins will spawn and attack the NPCs wandering the area; if the Dragonborn sides with Maurice, he will pray to the Eldergleam tree, and an Eldergleam sapling will spawn directly in front of him.
How To Complete The Blessings Of Nature Side Quest
Once the Dragonborn has acquired either the Eldergleam sap or the Eldergleam sapling, they can return to the Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun to speak to Danica. Danica will thank the Dragonborn if they used Nettlebane to extract the Eldergleam sap; otherwise, she will scold them for not following her instructions. In the end, Danica will accept whichever approach the player chose to take and thank the Dragonborn for their help in restoring Whiterun's Eldergleam tree to its former glory.
As a reward for completing "The Blessings of Nature," the Dragonborn will get to keep Nettlebane and will be able to speak to Danica to receive training in Restoration Magic.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available for PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.