Today a frosty Amsterdam yields far less edibles and medicinals but there are still plenty around, including evergreens and beautiful Lavender shrubs. They grow so well in most Amsterdam locations and the leaves and flowers are very useful, whether in flavouring cakes, confectionery our treating minor burns, some forms of eczema our helping people to sleep.

Here’s one on my neighbour’s geveltuin (pavement garden).

Here is another plant which become popular in the winter due to it’s pretty tiny flowers. I’m used to it on moorland but here it is gracing another geveltuin, close to my home. It is Heather (Calluna vulgaris). I’ve never eaten it but the flowers are apparently edible. If the leaves and stems are edible, I can’t imagine they can be very palatable. Here is a useful entry on Celtnet, about the plant and some ideas on how it may be used. The plants certainly stand up well to the snow and they produce valuable nectar for insects. Heather honey is delicious!