Foraging

Here we explore different ways to use the plants around us. 

Stinging Nettle

Urtica dioica

It is early June and too late to think about making nettles into a soup. Instead, I have stripped off the leaves and used the outer fibers of the stem to make cordage. I use this string in the garden to tie willow together, rasberries to a fence and tying herbs together for drying. It is a natural alternative to use in the garden rather than a plastic material.

Elder

Sambucus nigra

In the early mornings and the late evenings when the air is cool, you can distinctly smell the elderflower. I harvested close to 15 clusters, cut them close to the stems and poured boiling water over them. I wanted to make elderflower cordial but I didn't have enough sugar or any citric acid and so I simply made a refreshing summer drink tasting of this delicious flower.

Wild Rose, Dog-rose

Rosa canina

For the months of June and July, the wild rose is in flower. It is a fragrant, five-petalled flower which can be found in Wales in hedges and waste places. 

A jam can be made from the petals themselves which tastes very similar to turkish delight. Harvest the petals just before they drop. Mix together sugar, lemon juice, orange juice and water and slowly introduce the petals once the sugar has disolved. Stir for 30 minutes on a low heat. Let cool. Enjoy a teaspoon of the jam with a bowl of yoghurt.

Rosa canina

Rose-petal jam