Everything is Food - Wild Herbs by Stephen Watts

Everything is Food Edible Plants Herbs by Stephen Watts

Wild Mushrooms
Sweet Cicely

Wild Herbs

Rosemary

I know of a rosemary hedge which you can run your hand through as you walk past. This herb is so abundant it would be silly to ever buy it. It grows all over the place in loads of peoples front gardens creeping out across pavements. If you plan to take lots for drying then ask the owner. I found a bush on an abandoned allotment and cut lots to give as gifts for people.

Mint

There are many varieties of mint. It tends to creep through peoples gardens, invading beds and becoming a weed. Some are defiantly better than others. I love it in salads.

Lavender

I’m experimenting with making essential oils out of lavender so I’ll get back to you on my findings. The word lavender comes from the meaning “to clean”. I enjoy putting flowers in my pockets as well as pillow cases etc. This really does grow everywhere.

Comfrey, symphytum officinale

This I’ve included mainly to rant about its amazing wound healing properties – chew up some leaves in your mouth and put the mixture on the cut or bruise or whatever. You’ll be amazed. The young leaves are edible and a healthy addition to the diet. It can be found in and around allotment sites and well as cemeteries

More Information on Comfrey

Sweet Cicely, Myrrhis odorata

It is found in and around woodlands, often in clearings as well as grassy banks and verges as well as cultivated areas. The flavour is sweet and aniseed like. The leaves (Similar to cow parsley/ carrot leaves etc) can be picked in spring and again in late summer and even in the depths of January in places. (make sure they have the distinctive aniseed smell since there are poisonous plants with similar looks) When the plant is setting seed the young tender seed pods can be eaten as well. Like sweets. One of my favorite for salads: this one you're bound to like.

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium

Often grows in sunny grassy banks and gardens. Choose the young green growth for salads etc. I dry the leaves and the flowers for use in the winter. Good addition to a diet. The flowers I use as a medicine.

Articles On Wild Food, Edible Plants etc

Allotment Foods

Wild Foods - Cooking Storing & Preserving Food