Every herb garden should grow rosebay willowherb (or fireweed as it is also known) for a splash of colour and a buzz of bees. Where woodlands are cleared, buildings fall and fire scorches the earth, so rosebay willowherb will rise like a phoenix from the ashes. This exciting plant also makes a bold wild edible. … Read more
I love plant ID apps. I really do. They have been so helpful when I have been overseas trying to get to grips with the local flora and unable to find a plant guide. They do, however, come with a caveat. Plant ID apps are not 100% accurate. DO NOT RELY ON THEM. They are … Read more
People have died from eating all parts of Hemlock water dropwort! Is it Hemlock or Cow Parsley? Hemlock water dropwort is a member of the Apiaceae (Carrot) family. Which contains some very toxic plants. It is considered the most toxic plant growing in Britain. It contains a powerful neurotoxin called oenanthetoxin, which triggers spasmodic convulsions, … Read more
Ground Ivy Stew Read Tofu Marinated In Ground Ivy Read Ground Ivy Mayonnaise Read Ground Ivy Tempura Read
To sterilise bottles and jars: wash them in hot soapy water then rinse next, put in an oven at 325F/170C/150 fan and leave for 20 minutes. remove and allow to cool enough that you can pick them up
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With everyone carrying a smartphone these days, it’s just too easy to get lazy and snap a gazillion photos. Last year I deleted my Dropbox account and everything in it. Including tens of thousands of photos. I don’t regret it one bit. My reasoning was that most of those photos had been taken on out … Read more
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This humble little plant that often pops up unexpectedly in a corner of the garden after a long winter is a gentle herbal soother to the skin and makes a pretty addition to salads. Foraging in Spring Foraging in Summer Foraging Through The Year Scientific name Primula vulgaris. Family Primulaceae. Botanical description Large, yellow-green flowers … Read more
While children once sucked the sweet nectar from white dead nettle flowers,1 today’s wild food enthusiasts may enjoy the plant in many other ways. Foraging in Spring Foraging in Summer Foraging Through The Year Common name White dead nettle. Scientific name Lamium album. Family Lamiaceae. Botanical description Green-white flowers with heart-shaped, hairy, green leaves. The … Read more
Brooklime is a delicate blue flower of ponds and streams,1 and often grows with watercress.2,3 It was used for centuries as a salad plant in northern Europe, collected in spring and well known for its pungency and bitterness.1,2,3 Foraging in Spring Foraging in Summer Foraging Through The Year Scientific Name Veronica beccabunga. Family Plantaginaceae. Botanical … Read more