All posts by Lynn

Unknown's avatar

About Lynn

Learning

Amsterdam Oogst at Tolhuistuin

Foraging, Urban Herb Walks,

image

Today I led a small group around the garden at the Tolhuistuin, just over the ferry in Amsterdam noord, by the floating globe. There’s a small festival going on there today, called Amsterdam Oogst, organised by Cities and hosting a local produce market, some mellow music, a herb walk from me, lots of lovely food and a very pretty, shady garden – prefect on this beautiful day!

image

So what did we find today? It’s quite an old garden with winding paths and mature trees and shrubs. We found lots of Elder, some Roses with beautiful ripe hips, Daisy, Lime trees (there are lots of interesting trees there), Hawthorn, Walnut, Plantain, Watercress which seems to have self seeded in a damp grass area, Feverfew and several other wonderful herbs.

image

The garden also has lots of interesting new things going on, such as this wall of bottle planters and an area of raised vegetable beds. There is also a plan to have an amazing mushroom forest there. I can’t wait to see it!

image

For those who came on the walk particularly, here’s a photo taken today in Park Frankendael of my little girl and a Comfrey plant. They are not an urban myth 😉

image

365 Frankendael day 141

365 Frankendael, , ,

image

Today a photograph of Pelitory of the Wall (Parietaria officinalis), taken by Elodie den Otter, outside of a yoga studio in Amsterdam. This is a really useful little herb which really is well adapted to growing out of wall cracks and between paving stones. It is useful as a urinary system tonic and has many historic and contemporary applications. Please see my post on day 63 about sister herb, Pensylvania Pelitory, for further information about the two plants.

365 Frankendael day 140

365 Frankendael,

image

Trees have began to shed their leaves and yet many plants are still in bloom. Here’s one of them, Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) NL: Rode klaver. The flowers are edible, tasty and contain amongst other things, very useful phytoestrogens. Red clover is used by many to increase fertility, in both men and women. It’s still possible to gather flowers for drying, or to pick enough to fill a small jar, then top up with vodka to make a tincture. See Susun Weed for excellent information about this amazing plant.

365 Frankendael day 139

365 Frankendael, Foraging, , , , , , , , ,

Today, a quick list of 16 edible or medicinal plants, currently in season in Amsterdam. Here they are, photographed in Park Frankendael this morning:

Silverweed – edible, all parts.

image

Jerusalem artichoke – invasive, very tasty. Heaps of it at the back of the closest flower meadow to Frankendael huis (behind the house). Cook the roots with winter savoury – it helps eliminate the intestinal gas which these vegetables are infamous for producing.

image

image

Dandelion, Stinging nettle and Chickweed. All three are edible, nourishing tonic herbs. Can be eaten safely in fairly copious amounts but just a leaf our two, or a handful of Chickweed, will really boost a meal.

image

Rosehips, in abundance. They could be made into syrup now but if the birds leave them alone, I’d wait another few weeks. Medicinal due to high vitamin c levels in particular and other immune boosting constituents. Interesting added to stews etc also.

image

False, but edible, look-a-like strawberries of a Potentilla.

image

Sweetcorn and Sunflowers, growing alongside the Middenweg. I’ve seen quite a few wild Sweetcorn plants lately. Maybe sometimes been sewing the seed as they walk the streets? Not likely that either of these plants will be left, strimmer free, long enough to flower or seed, but what fun that would be if it happened.

image

Japanese knotweed, rhubarb like, super sour edible and terribly invasive plant. Search this site and others for how to cook it.
image

Marshmallow (yes, it’s the original sweet namesake). I simply collected a thousand seeds or so from this plant today. It’s so easy to grow in town and so useful as a soothing medicinal and as a food – think gooey egg substitute.

image

Not so easy to see – though what a pretty woodland view – Ground elder and Wild geranium.

Garlic mustard, edible – very! – but only pick one leaf per plant at this time of year. They need to build up energy reserves to survive the winter. You’ll hopefully be rewarded with tall healthy leaf and flower rich plants next year.
image

Wild rocket. Rucola in Dutch. A heap this size would be sold for a small fortune in Albert Heijn. It will taste extra strong and be a bit woody at the moment due to flowering but still useful and very peppery. Maybe collect a seed pod or two and sprinkle them in a price of underused safe land near your home.

image

Greater celandine. NOT edible! Poisonous orange sap, but that sap is very useful as a topical treatment for warts and some other skin spots.

image

Lastly the mystery Nut Tree that several people sent me photos of whilst I was on holiday. I still don’t know the name or whether it if edible our not. But I now know it’s sticky and I think it is setting fruit rather than nuts at the moment. Will keep am eye on it as they develop.
image

365 Frankendael day 138

365 Frankendael, Foraging,

image

Caterpillars or some other small creatures have been feasting on this patch of Nettle (Urtica dioica) , growing near the garden centre at the back of park Frankendael.

On a safe foraging note, I was sent this link today. Obviously anyone foraging should be conscious of their personal safety and some foraging hot spots are more secluded than others. There is apparently a women in this part of town who has mugged write a number of women, near the Park Frankendael, over the past year or so. She has been asking them for directions, or that sort of thing, then mugging them. A photo fit of her face is on the link.

365 Frankendael Day 137

365 Frankendael, Foraging

Just one little hedgerow scene today, by one that is typical of many in Amsterdam and one that is packed full of nutrients, great taste and people’s medicine.

There’s a Hawthorn shrub at the back with a small Elder nestling in its shade, right against its trunk. There are lots of healthy Stinging nettles, ground ivy, some Burdock, a little Fat hen here and there and heaps of super vibrant Plantain. All such useful plants are so plentiful in this and most other European cities. This patch of hedgerow is right by one entrance to the park and is mostly overlooked by people walking into the park or parking up their bikes.

365 Frankendael day 136

365 Frankendael, Apprenticeship, Foraging, Potions, Wild herbs, , , ,

image
red clover

Today I harvested a few handfuls of Red Clover blossoms to make a small jar of tincture, three large leaves of Ground elder, to chop finely and add to our dinner and sat quietly in a beautiful, tiny grove, within the woodland part of park Frankendael.

image
Ground elder

The grove is somewhere I’ve walked by many times, have harvested little from and yet it drew me completely within itself today. This place has a wonderful energy about it, filled with sounds of the city and yet, cool, shaded, green, earthy, nurturing and sheltering. Sounds of birds chattering around me, branches crack as squirrels and other small animals climb around. Just the place to launch the apprenticeship course, I think. To sit on the ground here is a beautiful experience. I smell Ivy all around me and feel supportive earth beneath me. It is a magical place.

image
Grove in Frankendael park

I feel delighted that I will have an opportunity to take several people there, to share my love of this place and of the plants which choose to live in the city.

365 Frankendael day 135

365 Frankendael, , , ,

We found our first ripe Hawthorn berries of the season today. On the cut-in footpath alongside De Kas side of Park Frankendael. If they come off the shrub, with leaves attached, they are not quite ready. We found lots on the ground, which had fallen, ripe, from the hedge. They do require a little preparation but are worth the effort as a foraged food and as a hedgerow medicine.

image

image

Next is a small Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) perennial.

image

Ivy (Hedera helix) plants are looking particularly beautiful at present. They have large and fascinating flowerheads forming. they are not for eating but the leaves are sometimes used in anti cellulite treatments. It’s easy to make an infused oil with the leaves.

image

Lastly a beautiful, swaying Weeping Willow tree. Still offering a chance for herbal pain relief. It’s very simple to make a tincture from the tendrils.

image