Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) is a small deciduous tree or shrub belonging to the Rosaceae family. It is also known as European mountain ash, mountain ash, wicken tree, wich tree, wicky, wiggan tree and quicken tree. It is the best known Sorbus species and is native to the British Isles, northern and western Europe.

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)

Growing methods

The rowan will naturally propagate via seed dispersal usually with the help of wild birds in the area. If you spot one rowan tree, there will likely be others in the vicinity.

Trees can be propagated using softwood cuttings or by seed. If growing by seed, sow fresh ripe seed immediately in pots under cover or outside. If growing stored seed, they need to undergo cold stratification for 3-4 months. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle place in large pots and then plant them out in their permanent positions in the second year.

Rowan (S. aucuparia) flowers

The beautiful creamy-white clusters of flowers can be seen from May until June. The bright red berries ripen from August to September. They are very hardy trees and can grow up to 20 metres in height. They can be planted as a shelter belt, as a specimen tree, in a wildlife garden or woodland setting. They tolerate maritime exposure and atmospheric pollution, and are very low maintenance. Trees may be affected by aphids, blister mites, sawflies, canker, silver leaf and fireblight.

Rowan is a small tree but big for wildlife

Other uses

This is a great tree for wildlife. The leaves are eaten by caterpillars and moths. The flowers provide pollen and nectar for pollinating insects including bees. The fruit is popular in the autumn and winter months as a food source for birds.

The rowan tree is a sacred tree and has historically been used as a spiritual protector. It was planted near houses to ward off evil. The hard fine-grained wood has been used to make spinning wheels, tools, walking sticks, pegs and dowsing rods as well as being popular for carving, wood turning and coppicing. The bark, flowers and fruit are used medicinally. An oil can be obtained from the seed. All parts of the tree can be used to obtain tannin and a black dye.

 

Warning

Plants for a Future report that the seeds probably contain hydrogen cyanide which can cause respiratory failure and death. However, unless the seeds are very bitter, they should be safe in reasonable quantities. If using the seed, further investigation as to a safe quantity is highly recommended.

Raw edible parts

Rowan fruit, rich in vitamin C and anti-oxidants, is best after the first frosts of the season and can be eaten raw or dried. However, the fruit is often very tart and should not be eaten raw in large quantities. Fruit can be dried and added to flours.

The highly perfumed flowers and leaves can be made into a tea. The leaves turn out to be as perfumed as the flowers. Add a few sprigs of flowers or a handful of leaves to a teapot, pour over hot water that has just come to the boil and allow to steep for a few minutes. If you just want a brew for one person, place a sprig of flowers or a few leaves in a mug rather than make a whole pot. Lovely!

Rowan flower tea

Traditionally, the berries have been cooked and made into jams, jellies, preserves, liquers, syrups, ale, cider and wine. The seed (with or without the outer fruit) can be dry roasted and made into a coffee substitute - see Warning above.

Cleavers (Galium aparine)

Cleavers (Galium aparine) is an herbaceous annual plant from the Rubeaceae family. It has many common names including clivers, goose grass, sticky willy, coachweed, catchweed, robin-run-the-hedge, stickybud, stickyjack, grip grass and stickeljack.

Cleavers (Galium aparine)

This plant is found widespread throughout the world and popularly known for the annoying habit of sticking to clothing. The stems grow along the ground, up and over anything in its path. It can easily smother a low growing plant or shrub. It is listed as a weed in many places.

Cleavers is native to the British Isles, Europe, North Africa and Asia. It has naturalised in many other countries including the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Growing methods

Seeds are produced readily (300-400 seeds per plant) and spread easily by sticking to animals and human clothing. They can remain viable in the soil for up to six years. They are best sown fresh during from August until September when the seed is ripe. Plants are quick to establish and will grow to 1.2 metres in height, spreading to around 3 metres.

Cleavers will grow on most soil types, in the sun or shade and can often be found on ground that has been disturbed, back gardens, waste land, hedgerows, cultivated and uncultivated land. Plants are frost hardy and in flower from June to August. If you already have some in your garden, cleavers will continue to come up of its own accord so there is no need to fuss about growing it.

Illustration by Otto Wilhelm Thomé (1885)

Other uses

Gardeners may consider it a weed but, as is the case with so-called 'weeds', it is a resilient useful edible and medicinal plant. It is used in herbal and homeopathic medicine. The root can be used as a permanent red dye. A thick layer of the stems can be used as a rough sieve. The stems have been used in the past as a stuffing for mattresses. Stems can also be used as tinder to light fires. The bristles on the plant make it useful to clean sticky hands of tar. An infusion of the plant can be used as a hair rinse. It is useful to wildlife; it is pollinated by insects and is food for some butterfly larvae.

Issues

Covered with rough hairs and containing and irritating sap, this plant can cause contact dermititis.

Raw edible parts

The whole plant is edible raw and can be made into a beneficial green tea. However, the aerial parts of this plant contains hooked hairs, like Velcro, which can be rough and irritating. It is best, therefore, to eat the young parts of the plant such as the top 10-20cm of the growing tips and ground shoots.

The whole plant dries well and can be used for the winter months when the top of the plant dies down and is not available. The seeds can be dry roasted to make a coffee substitute. The shoots have historically been used as a pot herb. The flowers used to be used to curdle milk in cheese making.

Dog rose (Rosa canina)

Dog rose (Rosa canina) is a hardy deciduous shrub in the Rosaceae family. Also known as bird briar, it has a mid-green foliage and pale pink, or sometimes white, scented flowers. Containing a mass of prickly stems, it produces vivid red rosehips during the autumn and winter months.

Dog rose is native to Britain, Europe, North Africa and South West Asia. The name 'dog rose' is a direct translation of the Latin name 'Rosa canina'. It was first described as a medicinal plant by Pliny the Elder (23-79BC) who noticed French tribes using it for the treatment of dog bites.

Dog rose (Rosa canina)

Growing methods

Shrubs can be propagated from seed, cuttings, layering or by dividing suckers. To grow from seed, sow fresh seeds immediately after they have fully developed, but not dried, and they should germinate during the winter or the following spring. However, they may take a lot longer. Dried seed should be sown in early spring and will need to subjected to cold and then warmth before they will germinate. Even then they may take up to two years. Stratification of the seed aids germination. When seedlings are large enough to handle, they can be potted on into individual pots and planted out during summer months.

To propagate using cuttings, take hardwood cuttings in the autumn and plant out the rooted cuttings in late spring. The shrub can also be propagated by dividing the suckers during late autumn or winter and planting them out in their permanent positions.

Dog rose enjoys full sun or partial shade with moderately fertile soil but will tolerate poor conditions. Make sure the soil is moist but well drained. A mulch in the winter or early spring is beneficial. Shrubs can tolerate strong winds but not harsh coastal areas. Dog rose is great for wildlife gardens and wildflower meadows. However, it can be planted in more formal flower borders and cottage gardens.

It can suffer from rust and powdery mildew, and attack by aphids, leafhoppers, caterpillars, leaf cutting bees and red spider mite. It hybridizes freely with other members of this genus.

Other uses

The roots, leaves, branches and fruit of the dog rose have a number of herbal medicinal uses. The rosehips have been used as herbal medicine for more than 2000 years. They contain vitamins A, C and E, essential fatty acids, flavonoids and carotenoids. During the Second World War, rose hips were a key sources of vitamin C in Britain.

Rosehips (Rosa canina)

This shrub is great for wildlife, attracting butterflies, bees, birds and moths. The prickly stems also provide protection for birds and small animals. In domestic situations, the shrub can be pruned into a hedge and will keep animals out or in.

Raw edible parts

The petals, red fruit (rosehips) and the tiny seed are all edible raw. An oil can be made from the seed and is often used in skin care products. The rosehips can be made into a fruit tea. The leaves can be fermented, dried and made into a black tea.

The shiny red rosehips are available during the autumn and winter. Allow the frosts to softened the hard red skin and scoop out the seed and tiny hairs before eating. While the hairs on the seed are an irritant and should not be imbibed, the seed itself is edible raw and is a source of vitamin E. It can be dried and ground to a powder and used as a supplement.

To remove the hairs from the seed, cut the red hips in half and dry them. Then grind them roughly in a food processor or by hand using a knife. Place everything in a sieve and shake well over some paper. The hairs will fall through on to the paper and can be discarded.

Traditionally, rosehips have been cooked to make a syrup, jam, jelly or soup. The petals have been used to make a scented jam.

All Rosa species have edible fruit and most, if not all, species have edible flowers.

Issues: The tiny hairs on the seed are an irritant to the mouth and digestive tract. They should be removed.

The Best Edible Wild Plants in Britain: Easy to find & good to eat

Free sample chapters of The Best Edible Wild Plants in Britain. Available on Amazon. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

 

CHAPTER 1: Introduction

This book contains plants that I found in my garden which tasted good and were fairly easy to use. Since there are so many edible wild plants available I wanted to list those that I use most often to help others make the transition to eating wild plants much easier. There are a lot of plants that you can eat but, to be brutally honest, there are some that you really wouldn't want to!

I initially found these plants in my suburban garden in the south east of England and more recently on the land of a small holding in rural Scotland. I realise I am quite lucky in that my current foraging area is large and contains a variety of habitats including woodland with mature beech trees, moorland with gorse and a riparian area where I can find plants like marsh pennywort. However, most of the plants I use regularly are actually found near the house.

Looking close to home for your plants will encourage regular use. If you have to make a 50 mile round trip every time you want to eat a wild plant, you will soon tire of the whole foraging thing whether you like doing it or not. The easier you make the job of wild foraging the better. So remember the three 'F's: Forage From your Front door.

The first place to look for wild plants is always always always in your own garden. If you haven't got a garden, try those of your neighbours, relatives or friends. Most will be eternally grateful if you remove what they consider to be weeds. I'll go with the assumption that you've got yourself a garden. If you're looking out the window at this garden and the grass is mown short, the flower beds only contain flowers recently planted from the garden centre and there isn't a dandelion in sight, do not despair. Hope and wild plants spring eternal!

The first thing you need is a little time to let the wild plants grow and to learn to go a little bit wild in your mind. The most important thing is to let go of social conventions and brace yourself for any strange looks or comments from the neighbours. Even today, with all our talk of being green and looking after the planet, copious amounts of weed killer and slug pellets are still the norm. People simply refuse to let wild plants grow and generally try to make their gardens look like the inside of their house; all clean and tidy. Everything in a garden should not be shoved away, swept up and wiped down.

If you have an immaculate garden and are worried that you will never be able to find anything to eat, all is not lost. Remember how those so-called weeds kept coming back even though they were relentlessly removed? Week after week they kept coming up especially in the summer. It was a nightmare wasn't it?! That is all about to change. Now you need to look on these plants as a good rather than a bad thing. You need to stop weeding. It can be done in stages to ease you into it without too much anxiety. Begin by leaving a couple of metres at the end of the back garden to go wild. You could then move on to any formal beds you have. The ultimate challenge is probably letting the lawn grow. It's not easy to do, especially in a residential area where the pressure is on to give all lawns a number one buzz cut. This probably doesn't need to be said but do keep in mind that these plants are not only good for you, they are also good for wildlife.

The first time I let my front lawn grow instead of mowing it was over ten years ago and it was a very hair raising experience. It already contained a lot of plants other than grass because my dad never used weed killer on the lawn in 60 years. I think he resented paying for the weed killer rather than objecting to the danger of using chemicals! Anyway, I knew the plants were there. Hell, I could see them. Tiny little leaves that belonged to plants which hadn't been allowed to grow to their full potential in years!

The house was detached and the front lawn quite large. More importantly everyone in the neighbourhood could easily see it. Could I do it? Yes, but it took a while to pluck up the courage. Quite a few plants came up in that first showing including yarrow, clover, hawkweed, daisy, violets, cat's ear, ox eye daisies and the ubiquitous dandelion. The latter probably caused my neighbours more stress than anything else because I knew they really didn't want the dandelion seeds floating away on the wind and seeding their immaculate lawns which only contained one species ie. grass.

As a concession to the neighbours' nerves, the lawn was cut once the flowers got to the point of seeding. On a few occasions it didn't get mowed in time, I snuck out in the early hours of the morning and removed the seed 'clocks' by hand, shoving them unceremoniously into a polythene bag before ducking back in the front door. The neighbours, give them their due, didn't utter a word about the dandelions but I just knew they were relieved when I finally moved out.

If you can't find what you are looking for you can buy seeds, plug plants and larger potted plants from specialist nurseries on line. Do not shy away from growing your own foraging. It is not unnatural or something to be ashamed of. Search online for native wild flower sellers or organic herb nurseries as a starting point. I began sowing chickweed seed in my polytunnel for a fresh supply of wild salad greens. Once it became established I didn't need to do a thing. Chickweed self seeds readily and will come up quickly. It is one way of getting a reliable supply of fresh salad greens throughout the year.

While this book lists the wild plants I use, you will inevitably find others. I could list them all but the list is long and others have already completed this labour of love. Look out for blogs like Raw Edible Plants or organisations like Plants for a Future who maintain a wonderful online database of useful plants including how to identify them and eat them. This book, therefore, is not a comprehensive listing of edible wild plants but a starting point for your edible journey. Perhaps, if you are already on this journey, you will find a few things to add to your knowledge base. There are a great deal of wild plant enthusiasts around these days. They have books, blogs and online videos espousing recipes and recommended ways of using wild plants. Round of applause to them all. Be sure to check them out.

The following chapters comprise of plants that are relatively easy to find and don't take too much processing to make into something half decent to eat or drink. I've started off with the ones that are easier to find and that you might know already. As with all wild edible plants, check the Latin name when identifying them rather than use the common name as this is more accurate. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 2: Stinging nettles

The stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of my favourite plants because it screams 'stay away' and yet is one of the most useful plants found in temperate regions of the world. An herbaceous perennial from the Urticaceae family, it is known by many different common names throughout the world such as leaf nettle, common nettle, burn nettle, burn weed, burn hazel or just plain 'nettle'.

Robe up before you go in search of this little beauty. Any flesh showing will almost certainly come into contact with the tiny hairs made of silica called trichomes that break off easily dispersing a cocktail of chemicals into your body which include formic acid, histamine, acetylcholine and serotonin. These chemicals cause a stinging pain and ensure you suffer for hours afterwards with a tingly irritating numbness. Remedies for the sting include dock leaves, plantain leaves and calamine lotion but I can't guarantee any will be truly effective.

If you don't have any nettles in your garden, you can dig up a small clump of root and replant them. Nettles are considered invasive and difficult to get rid of so woe betide me for suggesting doing this. However, I don't think being labelled an 'invasive weed' is any reason not to grow a very useful edible plant. We spend far too much time eradicating plants that we should really be making use of.

Nettles grow to just over a metre in height with white to yellowish flowers but are best picked before they grow tall and flower. If you've got a good patch you can cut them down when they are about 30cm in height and let them grow again. This can be done three or four times a year or more under the right conditions. Remember the taller they get, the more tough and stringy they are. Also remember that this plant is good for wildlife attracting butterflies and moths so leave some plants to fully mature and flower. The tops of this plant will die down in the winter but it is a tough perennial and will emerge ready to go again in the spring.

The leaves, younger stems and the shoots can all be eaten raw. Use a clean glove and roll them tightly crushing them well before popping them in your mouth. This removes the sting. Other ways of removing the sting include wilting, blending, refrigerating, cooking and making a tea from them. I have to say I don't relish eating these little raw balls but prefer to add the fresh plant material to green smoothies or use to make a herbal tea. If you have any tea over it can be used as a hair rinse. My overwhelmingly favourite way of using the leaves, stems and shoots is by cooking them lightly in a little water and using like spinach. They have a nice mouth feel and are much less slimy. You can add fried onions, chickpeas and spices to make a type of spinach saag. Another age old favourite is, of course, to use nettles to make soup. A plentiful supply of nettles in your garden is a cheap and nutritious way of getting your daily greens.

Nettles have a lot of other uses. They make a good fibre which is created by stripping the outer stems. These stringy strips are then dried and spun into a yarn. Nettle yarn can then be knitted up or woven into a fabric. It is a long and somewhat fiddly process. Nettles are very beneficial medicinally but can also be used to make paper, biomass, compost/plant feed/compost activator, dye, rennet and oil.

My favourite ways to use nettle: The young leaves and stems made into a tea, added raw to green smoothies or cooked like spinach.

QUICK EDIBLE PLANT GUIDE

Plants for milk and cream

Almond
Flax
Hazelnut
Hemp
Oats
Soya beans (soy: USA)

Plants for black tea
Tea shrub (Camillia sinensis)
Blackberry
Raspberry
Strawberry

 

Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

Plants for herbal tea
Chamomile
Chickweed
Elderflower
Fennel
Mint
Nettle

Plants for 'coffee'
Carrot
Chicory
Dandelion
Jerusalem artichoke
Parsnip
Rye

Culinary and medicinal plants
Chamomile (German or Roman)
Common thyme
Garlic
Mint
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Valerian
Yarrow

Plants for flavour & scent
Sweet dried fruit, ripe fresh fruit, stevia and the syrup of Jerusalem artichoke, sugar beet or tree sap e.g. pine, silver birch, sycamore, walnut
Salt/savoury celery, green purslane, lovage, salt bush, sea salt (home-made), seaweed and plants grown on the sea shore or by estuaries e.g. marsh samphire and rock samphire
Pepper alexanders, nasturtium, rocket, shepherd's purse
Chilli/hot/mustard chilli pepper, garlic mustard, horseradish, nasturtium
Garlic garlic, garlic mustard, ramsons
Bitter cat's ear, dandelion, hawkweed, plantain
Sour gooseberry, grape, plum, green tomatoes, ground cherry, iron cross plant
Aroma common thyme, lavender, mint, pine, rose, rosemary, sage, violets

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Wild plants
Chickweed
Clover
Common sorrel
Daisy
Dandelion
Fat hen
Grass (most species including lawn)
Hawthorn
Nettle
Primrose
Sow thistle

Ornamental shrubs

These shrubs produce edible fruit. They are often sold in garden centres in the UK and can be found in many cultivated gardens in the British Isles.

Amelanchier (all species)

Creeping dogwood
Elaeagnus (some, probably all, species)
Fuchsia (all species)
Mahonia (some, probably all, species)
Pyracantha coccinea (the fruit not the seed)
Rosa (all species)
Sea Buckthorn

Annual vegetables

Annual vegetables have to be sown every year from seed.

Butternut squash
Celery
Courgette
Cress
Cucumber
Lettuce
Marrow
Pumpkin
Radish
Spring onions
Sweetcorn
Sweet pepper
Tomato

Perennial vegetables

Perennial vegetables do not need to be sown every year and will live for 2 years or more. Many will last indefinitely.

Asparagus
Chicory
Comfrey
Common sorrel
Jerusalem artichoke
Nettle
Nine star perennial broccoli
Perennial kale
Sea kale
Tree collards
Wild cabbage

Vegetables for the winter
These plants are very hardy and can be left growing until required even if the ground is frozen or covered in snow.

Brussels sprouts

Collards
Kale
Leek
Parsnip
Sea kale
Spinach
Swede
Turnip
Wild cabbage
Winter cabbage

Wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea)

Root vegetables
Beetroot
Carrot
Celeriac
Jerusalem artichoke
Parsnip
Potato
Radish
Salsify
Scorzonera
Skirret
Swede
Sweet potato
Turnip

Green leafy vegetables

Cabbage
Collards
Corn salad
Cress
Green purslane
Kale
Leaf beet
Lettuce
Mustard
Oriental vegetables
Sea vegetables
Spinach

Nuts and seeds
Almond
Beech
Flax
Hazel
Hemp
Pumpkin
Sweet chestnut
Walnut

Grain (cereals)
Barley
Oat
Quinoa
Rye
Wheat

Cultivated fruit
Apple
Blackberry
Cherry
Currant (black, red, white)
Dessert grape
Gojiberry
Gooseberry
Pear
Plum
Raspberry
Strawberry

Wild fruit
Blackberry
Bilberry
Crab apple
Dewberry
Rosehip (dog rose)
Elderberry
Haw (hawthorn)
Rowanberry (mountain ash)
Sea buckthorn
Service tree
Wild raspberry
Wild strawberry

Edible evergreen shrubs
Bamboo
Bilberry
Common thyme
Elaeagnus species
Holm oak
Olive
Rosemary
Sage
Salt bush
Strawberry tree
Yucca

Foraging in July

Here are some of the wild edible plants that can be found in the British Isles in July. The links will take you to more detailed information about the plants. Happy eating!

Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica)

Eat 'em while you can. These little beauties are super healthy and free for the taking. Remember the darker and more purple coloured plants are stronger in flavour. Use the lighter coloured leaves and tops if you can. Cut down at base level and use as a cut-and-come-again plant. Use it like spinach and you can't go wrong. We also like it raw in smoothies.

Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Chickweed is great for salads. If the stem is a bit stringy, just strip off the leaves. Otherwise use a pair of scissors and cut the young plants at base level (like cutting mustard and cress) or pick off the growing tops of the older plants. It is very mild tasting and a good substitute for lettuce.

Smooth sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus)

This is another bland tasting leaf which is good for salads. It is slightly crunchy and one of our favourites. We tend to leave the whole plant and just pull off the large leaves as and when we need them.

Daisy (Bellis perennis)

Daisies can be found in garden lawns. They are easily identifiable with their spoon shaped leaves and pretty yellow and white flowers. We use the lemon-flavoured leaves and whole flowers in salads.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Another easily identifiable plant, the ubiquitous dandelion can be found everywhere. Use the leaves and yellow petals in salads. The roots can be dry roasted to make dandelion coffee.

Wild raspberry (Rubus idaeus)

We are awash with wild raspberries this year. They are bigger than last year and extra juicy. They seem to have really liked the dry hot spell. Use as you would the cultivated fruit. Wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca) are also available.

Others

Common mallow (Malva sylvestris) or musk mallow (M. moschata), fat hen (Chenopodium album), yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and chanterelle mushrooms (Cantharellus cibarius).

Rewilding a garden

We thought we would share with you our experience of rewilding an ordinary garden. It's not the first time we've had a go at this but when we tried it before it was on a much smaller scale.

Buttercups flourishing in the uncut lawn

We currently have several large areas of lawn which takes literally hours to mow during the summer months. In addition there are six borders comprising large shrubs, two small trees and smaller low growing perennial plants. Keeping it all tidy was proving exhausting and it became necessary to cut down on the work. Of course, this wasn't all about not working. We were also very keen on rewilding and attracting native wild plants and wildlife.

The first thing we did was to stop all the more traditional jobs around the place such as sowing, planting, weeding, removing dead material, pruning, strimming and mowing. We did, however, continue to grow vegetables in the polytunnel.

Mowing was probably the most time consuming task of all. We, more or less, stopped this completely, leaving the lawn to its own devices. Areas close to a section of regenerating woodland quickly reverted back to their original state. The more formal lawns closer to the house are taking longer to rewild. It is possible they don't contain any original root or seed stock.

Part of the lawn that we cut for a seating area

We decided to mow a small section of lawn for our own use to put up a tent, lay in the sun, sit, read, eat and do small jobs like mend a bike. We also put in a couple of long narrow paths to reach the compost bin and the back door of the house. We used a small electric mower for this.

The old strimmer had long since given up the ghost and had been replaced with a petrol brush cutter - what were we thinking?! However, although it had been taken out of the box, it had never been used - we knew it was wrong! We just couldn't bring ourselves to use it mainly because it needed petrol, was extremely noisy and indiscriminately destructive. Finally, we purchased a long handled scythe. It is probably one of the best tools we have and is in constant use.

Rewilded (damp!) lawn area

The plants that came up in the lawn areas included buttercups, white clover, daisies, self heal, sheep's sorrel, stinging nettles, docks, horsetail, spagnum moss, common rush, lady's smock, bluebells, common orchid, germander speedwell, spignel, dandelions and hawkbit. The buttercups were probably the most successful and flourished particularly well. No surprise there!

A variety of flowers coming up in the lawn

Amongst the shrubs and other perennials, that the previous owners had planted in the borders, we had an interesting variety of new comers including wild raspberries, rosebay willowherb, bluebells, broad leafed willowherb, ground elder, brambles, common rush and germander speedwell. The wild raspberries and rosebay willowherb spread far and wide since their underground root systems are particularly robust. The ground elder appeared to be already well established and this spread. An attractive plant, it is often vilified by gardeners for its persistence.

Some of the established border perennials didn't get a chance to flower properly as they became overgrown. There was a tendency to want to revert to our old practice of weeding when this happened but we generally didn't bother. We'd like to say we made a great effort not to weed but there wasn't actually any effort involved. It was really easy!

Rosebay willowherb and wild raspberries in a border area

The benefits to the household of not doing all the usual traditional gardening jobs were immediately fairly obvious. There was much less work and this freed up our time to do other things! Occasionally we watered something we liked which we thought needed a little help during the hot weather. However, that wasn't really necessary in the often wet maritime climate of the British Isles.

We were surprised at the numbers of different plants that came up. Wild plant seeds, roots and bulbs were there waiting for a chance to grow, the variety of wild plants easily increased each year and the number of each species also grew each year. Once something grew, it spread. A lot!

One of our acrobatic red squirrels in a rather fetching pose

Overall we feel the number of butterflies, bees and other insects attracted into the garden has also been much higher. There have been a lot more this year (2018) than in previous years. However, there are probably more insects around generally this year so it is difficult to be objective about this.

There has definitely been an increase of food available for wildlife. The plants brought the insects in and produced a lot of seed. The seed from the long lawn grasses were welcome by birds that turned up during the winter, particularly the chaffinches. There was more cover for wildlife. We have a variety of creatures visit and reside here including a great many species of birds, mice, newts, toads, red squirrels, brown hare and stoats. We've seen a marked increase in bird numbers and species of birds except the house martins whose numbers have dramatically decreased. This overall benefit seems to persist throughout the year since we don't clear away dead plants at the end of the growing season.

Pathway to the compost bin

There were some perceived downsides to all this. We noted at least five species of plants and shrubs, which had obviously been introduced to the area, spreading. Whether this is a good or bad thing remains to be seen.

We live in a rural area so didn't feel any pressure from neighbours to mow the lawn, weed the borders and generally keep the garden 'tidy'. However, we have experienced such pressure before when we lived in a surburban area and realise this might be a problem for some. Neighbours are often worried about dandelions spreading and don't like to see them in lawns!

To offset concerns that the wild garden is somehow 'out of control' we suggest mowing narrow pathways. This is a visible indicator that you have a plan with regards your garden and that you are 'in control' even if you are not! Pathways also benefit members of the household because they make walking any distance, the use of prams and wheelchairs easy and pleasurable. You can even make little patterns with the pathways for kids to run about and play in.

Ground elder flowering in one of the borders

Overall we feel plantlife and wildlife gained a lot from this hands off approach. For those who find gardening relaxing, this definitely takes relaxation to another level. We were much less stressed and more in tune with our surroundings. In addition, we would highly recommend it to those who are less able bodied and perhaps struggle to keep their garden 'under control'.

In our opinion rewilding a garden is highly beneficial to human health. There may well be research on this available already but if not there should be. We would imagine those living in urban areas would benefit the most from this effect and we really hope more people living in towns and cities will try it.

Common spotted orchid in the lawn area

Ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria)

Ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria) is a perennial plant from the Apiaceae or carrot and parsley family. Also known as bishop's weed, bishop's goutweed, goutweed, gout wort, herb Gerard, wild masterwort, English masterwort, jump about and snow-in-the-mountain. It is commonly found in the British Isles and most of Europe.

Ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria) - young leaves

Growing methods

Sow seeds in the spring under cover in pots. If growing from seed, fresh seeds need a period of cold before germinating. Pot on when the seedlings are large enough and plant them out in the summer of the same year. A self fertile plant it grows to about 60cm (2') in height and produces creamy white umbelliferous flowers from May to July in Britain. It likes damp shadowy places but succeeds almost anywhere and is a good ground cover plant.

Ground elder can also be propagated by division. Find some rhizomes (underground stems) locally and plant them out. They will grow. However, think carefully where you put this plant since it is very aggressive. It is termed an invasive weed and banned in certain places in North America. Rhizomes can grow up to 90 cm in a year. Stem growth can be restricted using a root container.

Other uses

Historically it has a range of medicinal uses, particularly for arthritis and rheumatism, but doesn't appear to be so popular today. Traditionally this plant was grown as a remedy for gout suffered by the clergy because of their rich diet, hence the name 'bishop's weed'.

Issues

Ground elder is not generally very popular with gardeners as once established it is very difficult to get rid of. You need to pull up all pieces of root because they will take and the plant re-establish itself very easily.

Ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria) - older leaves

Raw edible parts

Ground elder is a very pungent plant, smelling and tasting a lot like sweet parsley. It's a bit like Marmite, you either love it or hate it. The very young translucent stems, leaves and ground shoots from February onwards are edible raw. If you keep cutting the plant back new young shoots will emerge. Older leaves are very strong and far too chewy to eat raw. The leaves were (and still can be) cooked like spinach. The seed can be used as a condiment.

Bistort (Polygonum bistorta)

Bistort (Polygonum bistorta) is a hardy perennial within the Polygonaceae family. Also known as bistort, common bistort, meadow bistort, pink pokers, knotweed, adderwort and snakeweed. It is found in northern and central Europe including Britain, mountains of southern Europe, western and central Asia. It grows in acidic soil in damp meadows, bog gardens and cultivated beds.

Bistort growing in a polytunnel amongst the squash

Growing methods

Sow seeds in spring under cover and then pot on as the seedlings grow, planting out to their final position when big enough. Seeds germinate easily. It is a good addition to a cottage garden. Alternatively propagate by division in spring or autumn. It is generally free of pests and diseases. It is a sprawling leggy plant growing up to 0.5m by 0.5m. The pink flowers develop from June to September. The seeds ripen from August to October. It will grow in semi-shade or no shade preferring damp or wet soil.

Other uses

Bistort is very astringent and has many herbal medicinal uses.

Raw edible parts

The leaves, seed and roots are edible raw. The leaves are best used raw in salads. They do become a little chewy as they age. This plant grows alongside chickweed in and around our tomato and squash plants our polytunnel, coming up as and when it pleases. The seeds are tiny and we don't bother with them except to save them in case we want to sow them. They can be dried, ground down into a powder and added to bread. Although it is a perennial plant, we have treated it as an annual for salad leaves and seed. We do the same with chickweed seed, which are also very tiny. We don't think you would really want to be eating the root raw since the thinner younger roots are stringy and the older roots are very woody. If you treat the plant as a perennial, then you will have more roots, and it might be worth it. As a point of interest, the root contains tannin.

Bistort root

As another point of interest, the leaves can be cooked and eaten like spinach; the root can be soaked (to reduce the tannin level) in water and then roasted; and the seeds can be cooked.

The form 'Superba' is a larger plant and grown as a garden ornamental. We can't say whether the nutritional content varies or whether it is safe to eat. As far as we know this plant was bred for its visual rather than nutritional qualities. Do, however, remember that conventional plant production occasionally generates plants with undesirable traits, some of which are potentially hazardous to human health. Most crops naturally produce allergens, toxins, or other anti-nutritional substances. Standard practice among plant breeders includes monitoring the levels of potentially hazardous anti-nutritional substances relevant to the crop.

Fat Hen (Chenopodium album)

Fat Hen (Chenopodium album) is an annual plant belonging to the Chenopodiaceae family. Other common names include lambs quarters, goosefoot and pig weed. The leaves have the shape of a goose foot, hence the common name 'goosefoot'. It is a native British plant but is also found in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. It can be seen on or around the edges of arable fields, hedgerows and waste land. It frequently comes up in our vegetable patch.

Fat hen growing in the vegetable patch

 
Growing methods

Sow seeds in spring in situ. Seeds will usually germinate within a few days and the plant is fast growing. Fat hen is in flower from July to October in Britain. Seeds are produced on the plant from August to October. It is wind pollinated, prefers full sun and will thrive in long summer days. Plants that emerge earlier in the year will be leafy and large. It is frost sensitive and rarely survives the winter. Fat hen will self seed and come up by itself in subsequent years. Seed can remain viable in the soil for many years.

Other uses

Fat hen has been used in folk medicine and grown as a feed crop for animals. The crushed fresh roots and the water residue from seed rinsing can be used as a soap. A green dye can be made out of the green shoots.

Raw edible parts

The young leaves and shoots, tops of mature plants, the flowers and sprouted seed are all edible raw but probably in moderation (see Issues). The seed, which is similar to quinoa, can also be dried and ground into a meal. It is best to rinse it thoroughly to remove the saponins before sprouting. Use the resulting soapy water for washing skin and clothes.

The leaves can be cooked and used as spinach. The young inflorescences (cluster of flowers on the stem) can be cooked and used like broccoli.

Fat hen has matt blue-green leaves which repel water. The whole plant has a faint cabbage-like smell and taste to it.

Issues

Fat hen contains saponins which are glycosides that froth up like soap. It also contains oxalic acid and can contain nitrates depending if the soil is nitrogen-rich or not.

Edible plants for March

QUICK GUIDE

Chickweed

Cleavers

Dandelion

Garlic mustard

Gorse

Hawthorn leaves

Nettle

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is a perennial, evergreen creeping plant of the Lamiaceae family. It has a large number of common names including creeping charlie, alehoof, field balm, gill over the ground, haymaids, hedgemaids, tunhoof, catsfoot (not Antennaria dioica), runaway robin and creeping jenny (not Lysimachia nummularia). It is also not ivy (hedera helix)!

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

It is commonly found in the British Isles and many other areas of the world including the USA, Canada and most of Europe. It is often classed as a weed but this is the case with many useful and edible wild plants and we're inclined not to take much notice of that!

Growing methods

Sow seeds on the surface and barely cover with soil in the spring or early autumn. Seeds need to be cold treated for two weeks prior to sowing. Seeds require light and moisture for germination. They will germinate within 10 days at 10°C. Ground ivy grows to about 20cm in height and spreads as far as you will let it! It prefers woodlands, hedges and shady damp areas.

Wild seed usually remains viable for short spells in the ground. Wild plants passively disperse seed which becomes mucilaginous when wet. Ground ivy spreads easily by runners that put down roots. It can easily be propagated by potting up a runner. If you are stuck for time, ready-grown plugs and plants can usually be purchased from wild flower companies.

Other uses

It is attractive to insect pollinators. It is a good ground cover plant for gardens since it colonises easily and does well in sunny or shaded areas. It has been a popular folk remedy for many conditions including tinnitus, sciatica, coughs, TB, digestive and kidney disorders. Historically it was used for brewing beer to clarify, add flavour and shelf life. It has also been used as a pot herb, cooked like spinach and used as a salad ingredient. It has been recommended as an antidote for stinging nettle stings.

Issues

There are some cautions regarding it's use but overall it appears to be a fairly safe plant. Large quantities may be toxic to some animals. It is vigorous and will spread readily.

Raw Edible Parts

The kidney-shaped scalloped leaves, the square stems and small violet coloured flowers are all edible raw and can be picked at any time of year. The plant has an overall mild pepper flavour and smells of blackcurrants. A herbal tea can be made from it which is called Gill tea.