Today I went on a wonderful free workshop run by Anna Richardson in the grounds of Stanmer Park. We nibbled our way round lots of plants and Anna explained the medicinal and nutritional properties of various plants and how to use or cook them. I'm not really into making potions or pickles but I did make notes on how to cook some of them. Most exciting discovery of the day was digging up a wild parsnip. It smelt five times stronger than a shop bought parsnip!
If tempted to try any of these ideas, please remember the countryside code and only pick 1 in every 19 plants and only pick enough for yourself. Leave enough for the animals and the next generations.
Lime
The Lime, or Linden, tree has edible leaves (when they are young) and the blossom tastes incredible. The lime trees in Stanmer Park should blossom in a week or so and I hope I have a chance to go back and try them. They don't last long so you have to be quick.
Ash
The beautiful Ash tree has clumps of seeds called Ash Keys. You can just about see them in the first photo above. In Spring, when they first appear, you can gather the Ash Keys and steam them like spinach.
Elderflowers
These are in bloom right now. I like them dipped in batter and deepfried then dusted with icing sugar. Anna suggested packing the flowers into a jar of runny honey, leaving it for a month and then using the elderflower flavoured honey in drinks with a squeeze of honey (hot or with sparkling cold water), or to use the honey t cook fruits like rhubarb. I have duly made my honey this afternoon!
Daisies
I never knew you could eat daisies. But you can. And the leaves. The leaves are very small and very near the ground. We picked ours in the graveyard away from the dogs. The leaves taste like rocket. Delicious.
Rosehip
In Spring you can eat the new shoots of the leaves in salads. You can also use a rose petal on a cut, like a plaster, to stop the bleeding.
Blackberry
Bramble leaf tips can also, in Spring, be eaten. They are best steamed and served with butter. The photo above shows a new bramble shoot. The stem should snap easily.
Nettles
Most people know about Nettle soup and such like. Nettles should only be used for cooking before they go to seed. Once they've gone to seed you can cut then down to the ground and fresh shoots will grow.
What you may not know is that you can pick the seeds, crush them into a ball in your hand and then eat them as a tasty, healthy snack. Nettles are apparently 20 - 30% protein, so one of the few foraged foods that supply protein. Being naturally inquisitive, I tried a nettle ball, but sadly it was not that tasty and it caught in my throat a little!
Garlic Hedge Mustard
This plant sounds divine. We didn't taste it as it was too close to the road and dog walking routes, but it smelled of garlic and sounds like it would make a lovely salad leaf. There is a close up of the leaf above.
Hawthorn
Supposedly very good for you, you can eat the fresh young leaves and the new flowers. The flowers have an almond flavour due to the cyanide in them!
Sticky Willies
This is the plant that leaves little sticky balls on you on country walks. It has lots of uses, and Anna even fashioned a makeshift sieve out of it! The plant is very good for detoxing the lymphatic system and you can juice it and drink the green juice, or simply immerse the plant in warm water and later drink the green water. In winter the plant has a second tier of leaves that grow near the ground and these can be eaten, raw, in winter salads.
Knapweed
This plant looks a bit like a thistle, and has thistle like flowers. The buds though resemble baby artichokes. We peeled off the petals, scraped away the choke and ate the minuscule heart. You'd have to be very hungry or patient to eat many of these.
Wild Marjoram
This was growing in huge clumps in a meadow in the park. Anna recommended crushing it into a pesto.
Red Clover Flowers
White and red clover flowers can be eaten in salads however the red ones have more health benefits. If you are thirsty on a walk you can suck on a red clover flower and it will stimulate your saliva glands and quench your thirst. I tried it and it works.
Wild Parsnips
These were hard to spot; the roots are ready in early summer and in autumn, however you shouldn't dig them up when they are in flower. If you collect the seeds in the autumn you could grow them in your garden. There is a photo of the one we dug up above. It was smaller than your regular parsnip but with a more intense aroma.
Mallow
A very versatile plant which can be used in soups or salads and is also good steamed. A photo of it is above.
Ground Ivy
This does not look like regular ivy and is actually part of the mint family. It has little purple flowers. It can be eaten in salad but is quite astringent. Best made into a tea with boiling water for aid the digestion.
Please do not go picking any of plants in the wild without a good book to identify the plants and permission of the land owner if its not common land. And always remember to only pick 1 in 19 plants so there is plenty for the future.
