Category Archives: 365 Frankendael

365 Frankendael day 285

365 Frankendael,

Today feels like spring has ready arrived. It’s been about 14°C, odd considering we’ve had -5°C and heaps of snow just a couple of days ago. How many plants will react to these yo-yo temperatures is anyone’s guess.

How tasty, vitamin and mineral rich Chickweed reacts is more predicable. Here is a little patch of Stellaria media in an otherwise barren looking tree pit. It looks pretty perky to me and quite unperturbed by the weather.

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And here’s a miniature Dandelion plant in a crack between a building and pavement.

365 Frankendael day 284

365 Frankendael,

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When I took this photo I thought it was a Speedwell, probably ivy leaved speedwell. A pretty, edible and apparently versatile little plant which has been used over the years for many things including to cleanse the blood, to ease itchiness, even thrown into a chicken broth to help fight cancer. Certainly interesting! I like to eat different Speedwell species in salads sometimes, the little blue flowers are an easy way to get to know the plant on your plate.

Here’s a nice link about Speedwells (botanical info) and another about more recent uses and applications for this abundant herb genus.

However this “Speedwell” does not have flowers and the way it grows is is different to the speedwells I am familiar with. Looking closer at the plant it seems it could alternatively be the more succulent (and also edible) Pennywort. I must have a better look later this week. With flowers it would be very simple to tell the difference. Must take my vegetative key along with me on Thursday…

365 Frankendael day 280

365 Frankendael, ,

Today a perky frost tolerant Chickweed,

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A Hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale) plant (I think, I haven’t smelled or tasted this one yet), in a crack beneath a house entrance,

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And another plant I’m seeing lots of at present, Campanula. It has pretty blue flowers in the summer and winter hardy foliage which is seen as edible (if harvested from an appropriate location). It grows very well in tiny cracks, here in Amsterdam. I’ll be encouraging it’s use in the River of Herbs project.

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In contast, this Winter Jasmine looks very washed out by the recent cold snap.

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365 Frankendael day 277

365 Frankendael,

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Today, Lavender looking as spritely as ever, regardless of sub zero weather. This is a great urban herb! The leaves, flowers and seeds can be used for various culinary and medicinal purposes. I keep a bottle of Lavender essential oil in my kitchen in case of burns. I don’t like essential oils very much as they are so concentrated and far from the natural herb state but I find this one very useful. It’s about the only essential oil I keep in the house and it has helped heal minor burns swiftly, with less or no pain than without its use and no scars.

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And just because they look so gorgeous in the snow – Rosehips! Another of my favourite urban herbs.

365 Frankendael day 276

365 Frankendael

It’s beautifully snowy here still. I’d hoped for a leisurely walk in the park today but it didn’t happen. Instead a short trek to the playground, making snow angels, zen style snowball stacks and this pretty berry laden shrub.

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I don’t know this plant so won’t be trying these pretty (and probably poisonous) fruit. They’re not rose hips, they’re not goji berries. Perhaps you know what they are?

365 Frankendael day 275

365 Frankendael, Blog

Today I noticed these male catkins on the big Hazel trees near my home.

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I’ve read some comments about them being poisonous. I’m not interested in eating them even if they are edible because without then on the trees we wouldn’t have a chance if collecting Hazelnuts in the autumn. This tree I’m particular is on the sunny park edge of Oosterpark and produces heaps of nuts in a good year.