Category Archives: 365 Frankendael

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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.
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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.

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

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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.
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365 Frankendael day 138

365 Frankendael, Foraging,

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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, , , ,

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Next is a small Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) perennial.

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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.

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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.

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365 Frankendael day 132

365 Frankendael, , ,
Redshank (Polygonum persicaria)

Here’s a plant my daughter found today, next to bike racks on the Hugo de Vrieslaan. It’s  an edible herb called Redshank (Polygonum persicaria). Often, it has the splotchy arrow sort of mark on the leaves, sometimes not. The surest way to identify it is by the flower and there are plenty of those around at the moment. Here’s a closer photo which we took today:

Redshank (Polygonum persicaria).

And here’s a short video from YouTube which may help you to identify it.

Next is a hearty Dandelion. There are so many around at the moment, I think they prefer the weather a little cooler and wetter. I was reading yesterday that Susun Weed likes to keep a stock of around 200 cooked greens portions in her freezer, ready for winter. I’m guessing that Dandelion is on her freezer list. I haven’t done that my self, I just eat it when it’s around, but will give it a try. Not 200 portions, I’ve only space for around three but its worth a go. On a side note, I bought a delicious jar of Morvan Pissenlit honey last week, Pissenlit literally means wet the bed and is the common name of Dandelion in France. The name is given due to its potent diuretic properties. The honey is exceptional. I must have another spoonful now!

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

I forget to mention this little beauty yesterday, Skullcap (Sculletaria altissima), in the woods of park Frankendael. It is in flower again! A second wave of flowers often graces strong perennials, when they have been cut back prematurely. Whatever the reason, I’m so pleased to see these pretty pain relieving flowers again.

Skullcap (Sculletaria altissima)

Autumn is on its way, you can smell it in the air. A blue moon tomorrow night so I’ll be looking for hazelnuts and not writing much tomorrow – just photos and names. Happy foraging!

365 Frankendael day 131

365 Frankendael, Foraging, Growing herbs, , , , ,

Today I looked at small herbs, growing along the Middenweg, which could easily be”weeded” out and replanted in locations where they could be allowed to grow unhindered and provide food…

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Here’s a little Hazel, coppiced by repeated strimmings and strong.

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Lavender. Smells great, tastes interesting but more useful for remedies and use in the home. Consider adding a handful of the flowers or fresh seeds to a small jar of honey, infuse for anything from a few days and use on minor burns.

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Hollyhock, seeds. Now’s the time to collect them and help new plants grow where you’d like them.

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Olive, with little Olives! We lost our roof top Olive last winter, during the drop freeze, but they can do just fine here, if protected in mid winter. No need to wait for the fruit, the leaves are also useful.

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A very well trodden Plantain. These look great in a put and are so useful.They do well in tree pits, are evergreen and can look quite attractive.

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Chickweed, one if my favorites for food and remedies, even in the winter. grown in a put they can make a thick yet delicate edible herbal carpet.

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Dandelion. So useful and so bitterly tasty! Encourage strong roots by digging the soil before transplanting to your chosen location.

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Lastly today, Rosebay willowherb. Such pretty and tasty flowers.

365 Frankendael Day 129

365 Frankendael, Growing herbs

I am now back in Amsterdam but too late to visit park Frankendael today, so here is a twilight photo of the tree pit which I care for outside of my house.

It has faired very well over the summer. The self seeded Artemisia absinthium (Wormwood) is looking very strong, self seeded Geraniums also like the spot and a few other plants too. These include a Curry plant ( Also a type of Artemisia I think), Lavender, Calendula from seed, Mint, Ivy (that has less of a good time in the warm months) and Goldenrod.

Thanks ever so much to the people who sent me photos of edible plants in Amsterdam, whilst I was away. It was great to see what the plants were doing and also to be able to add an entry to this project every day.

I’m really looking forward to visiting the park tomorrow.