Gorse
Seasons:
Gorse is an evergreen shrub with a long flowering period, it can flower at any point throughout the year but is most common between January-June.
Look:
Gorse typically grows as a thorny, spiky bush and flowers with small, individual, yellow pea like flowers, which have a strong cocountty smell to them.
Habitat:
Gorse is extremely common across the UK, due to it's ability to thrive in poor soil conditions. It is often found in woodlands, heaths, grasslands and even roadsides.
Edibility:
Only the flowers are edible from the gorse plant and as with a lot of wild foods should only be eaten in moderation. At Robin Wylde, we often use the flowers as part of an infusion. They have a delicate coconut, almond flavour (and sometimes even one reminiscent of foam banana sweets!). In the past we've had a gorse pannacotta on our menu which we did by infusing the petals into cream and very often have gorse as a feature on our soft drinks pairing, our favourite being our lemon and gorse kombucha. The flowers are also a beautiful addition raw as a garnish to a dish.
Jack by the Hedge
Seasons:
Jack by the Hedge is a herb that flowers in the Spring, though the leaves can be found during winter due to their natural anti-freeze abilities.
Look:
Jack by the hedge is a biennial plant that changes appearance in its second year. The first year leaves are much broader and rounder, growing closer to the ground and in the second year elongate into a pointed, almost arrow-like shape. The flowers are white and delicate and grow in little clusters.
Habitat:
Jack by the Hedge as the name suggests is often found in the hedgerows but also frequently in shady woodland patches.
Edibility:
Jack by the Hedge tastes mildly garlicky and mustardy. When the leaves are young it is a great leaf to eat raw and a lovely inclusion in salads and things however, the leaves do bitter as the year goes on. The mature leaves are still edible and in the restaurant, we love the bitter element it can bring to a dish. We've BBQ'd the leaves and used them to wrap fish dumplings or served the BBQ'd leaves alongside beef. We also, often ferment the leaves or dehydrate them to make powders, but things such as pestos and sauces are an option too- it's a super versatile leaf.
Herb Robert
Seasons:
Herb Robert often starts to flower in May until around September but weather conditions can mean it can flower much later in the year.
Look:
Herb Robert is identified by its feathered, asymmetric leaves and delicate pink flowers. The leaves often start to get a red tinge in the sun, so later in the season the leaves may be more red than green.
Habitat:
Herb Robert, thrives in damp, shady positions. It is often found in woodland and hedgerows.
Edibility:
Herb Robert is highly regarded for it's health benefits and is most often used for things like tea, taking the leaves, either fresh or dried and infusing into hot water to directly benefit from it. Here at Robin Wylde, we also often use the pretty leaves as a garnish and it has most recently featured on our Crab & Ginger, Miso Croustade but can also be used simply tossed through a salad.​
Meadowsweet
Seasons:
Meadowsweet has a short season, it usually blooms in mid-late June and stays until September.
Look:
Meadowsweet has red stems, ribbed leaves which grow opposite each other along the stems reaching a larger 3 lobed leaf at the top. It has clusters of delicate, white/cream flowers at the top of each stem, that are widely described as frothy.
Habitat:
Meadowsweet is abundant in hedgerows, roadsides and meadows.
Edibility:
Meadowsweet has a beautifully sweet vanilla sort of flavour with a slight petrol like hint. The flowers are often infused into things, especially dairy, for example in cream based desserts and makes a great wild substitute for vanilla. It also pairs beautifully with all the summer berries at the same time as it making it a prime target for desserts!
Stitchwort
Seasons:
Stitchwort flowers start to appear in early spring and last until around June.
Look:
Stitchwort is most recognisable by its flowers. Small and white with 5 petals, each petal with a deep notch giving the illusion that each petal is in fact 2. The leaves of Stitchwort are long and pointed and sit in pairs on opposite sides of the stem, forming an almost V shape. The video below is of chickweed, which is a close relative.
Habitat:
Stitchwort grows in hedgerows, roadsides, gardens and woodlands and is very common.
Edibility:
Stitchwort is thought to be a good herbal remedy for a stitch, hence it's name. We however, use stitchwort mainly as a garnish due to it's pretty flowers and delicate leaves. It has a mild grassy flavour which doesn't intrude in dishes but is a great addition in salads or as a final flourish on a dish.
Ground Ivy
Seasons:
Ground Ivy is an evergreen, meaning the leaves are available almost all year round. It flowers in the summer and autumn.
Look:
Ground Ivy leaves are bright green and rosette/kidney shaped and the plant grows in a webbed, trailing way along the ground much like an ivy would, hence the name. (It is not however a member of the ivy family). In the summer it has small purple flowers.
Habitat:
Ground Ivy grows abundantly, it can be found in woodlands, hedgerows and grassland.
Edibility:
Ground Ivy has a fragrant, herbal flavour. It's a delicate cross between mint and thyme and as a result lends itself perfectly to both sweet and savoury dishes. The younger leaves can be used as a leafy vegetable, like spinach would be. It can also be infused into syrups and dairy, in the restaurant we did a fun twist on a mint chocolate dessert, with a Ground Ivy pannacotta and a dark chocolate cremeux.
Pineapple Weed
Seasons:
Pineapple Weed season usually starts in early summer, around May and continues through to around October time.
Look:
Pineapple weed leaves are fine and feathery and almost identical to those of chamomile. The head of the flower is daisy/chamomile-esque with a yellow centre and lacks the petals..
Habitat:
Pineapple weed thrives in poor soil conditions so is often found on paths, around gateways, roadsides and even in pavement cracks.
Edibility:
Pineapple weed has a very strong pineapple taste and smell which is where it gets its name from. Having such an exotic, tropical flavour makes it an exciting ingredient to have available to us, especially as in the restaurant we try to use ingredients as locally as we can. We love to pickle it and always have a stash of pineapple weed vinegar tucked away for a touch of fruity, tropical acidity. Equally it enhances our soft drinks pairing in the form of kombuchas and cordials. It also makes an incredible tea. At Lilac our favourite way to use it is in our Pineapple Daquiri.
Dandelion
Season:
Dandelions have a long season and as a result edible parts can be found all year round. The plant goes through various life stages throughout the year with flowers blooming in the early spring.
Look:Dandelions are one of the more common plants on this list and definitely one widely recognised in the UK. In flowering season they have a large yellow head made up of lots of tiny thin petals, that grows off a long hollow tube like stem. The leaves grow at the base of the plant and are long, serrated and grow in rounds. The seed heads, though not directly edible are widely recogised as the big fluffy domes surrounding the bud.
Habitat:
Another versatile one, dandelions can take root anywhere, they thrive equally in grassy meadows, wastelands, hedgerows and woodlands.
Edibility:
A dandelion has many edible parts. The leaves make a great addition to a salad or garnish to a dish but have a bitter quality to them. The flowers make a great infusion, tea or wine and when high in pollen they have a honey like flavour when infused. One of the more interesting edible parts of the flower is possibly the root. The root once roasted has a very deep, flavour and is often used as a coffee substitute. It is often boiled up and drunk straight like coffee but makes a great flavour for the kitchen larder.
Nettle
Season:
Nettles can be found all year round. They go through different life stages throughout the year often flowering and seeding between June and October.
Look:
The leaves have serrated edges and come to a point much like an arrow head. The leaves grow in pairs either side of the stem. Both the leaves and stems are covered in fine hairs which will sting when touched.
Habitat:
Nettles are very adaptable and can thrive in bad soil and are therefore found everywhere, hedgerows, meadows, woodlands.
Edibility:
Nettles have a flavour like spinach but more umami. They're widely regarded as a superfood and often used in teas or soups, but can also be cooked down like spinach. At Robin Wylde we have a long standing snack on our menu using a tempura nettle leaf as a base and served with cod roe and carrot, such a versatile leaf. Though it is reported the leaves shouldn't be eaten after the plant has flowered as it then contains chemicals which can affect the urinary tract.
Elder
Season:
The season for Elder starts in April and ends in roughly October. The offering changes during this time with the flowers being available from April and the berries starting to become available from late August.
Look:
The leaves on an elder tree are long, almost ovular shape with serrated edges and grow in pairs along a central stem leading to one singular leaf at the tip. The flowers when in bloom grow in umbels of tiny delicate flowers and are white and frothy looking. When in fruit the berries grow in the same umbel formation but droop down more like clusters, the berries are dark purple, almost black.
Habitat:
Elder grows commonly in the UK and can be found in hedgerows, gardens and woodlands, they only require a good amount of light to thrive.
Edibility:
The flowers and the fruit are edible from an elder tree. The flowers have a delicate floral flavour when infused and are commonly used to make cordials and wines. The berries are also edible but need to be cooked first due to their cyanide inducing properties. The berries are good to turn into syrups, jams, ketchups and wines as these methods will involve heating. No other parts of the tree should be eaten.