Spring foraging

Spring is here! 

Above is just a small selection of plants available in the spring to early summer months, or should I say, these are a selection of the plants that I am absolutely certain of their identity. I have been foraging for over 10 years and still am not certain of some plants that I have researched on the internet and know are abundant in my area. This might be because I am completely self taught aside from the few species that my grandmother has introduced me to.

I cannot stress enough that foraging takes time and experience, however, you can start to use your eyes and nose to identify some spring wild vegetables.

Some easy ones to begin researching are wild fennel (a distinct smell and feathery leaves), wild garlic/ramsons (not pictured above but with a distinct allium smell), gorse flowers (bright yellow, assuming you are familiar with a spiky gorse bush), navel wort (distinctive shape).