Walking home from swimming on this day 12, I found a pavement garden containing some rather well cared for stinging nettles. No picking from that spot but I did weed some out from the beautiful Tuin van Darwin this morning whilst being shown around the gardens. Those beauties are heading for a nettle omelet and smoothie tomorrow.

I can’t eat enough nettles in April – they are on the menu in myhome 3 times a day! By early May, my appetite is waning for them but I still feel the need once or twice a week. Stinging nettle contains a high proportion of protein, compared with other plants. And an impressive assortment of minerals (iron being the most associated with nettle). I greatly enjoy eating them wilted in a splash of olive oil and water, in omelets,  in drinks,  in anything really – so long as the stings are wilted. The ways to eat this plant are endless and it is possible to harvest without being stung. Nettle also plays host to many insects,  notably butterflies.  So although I could eat them all,  I eat only the succulent tops of a scarce few plants from each swathe that is found.

Now some photos from the most active challenger:

Peter in Belfast had been finding Herb Robert, a very special geranium species.

It has really seeded all over the place from hillside to valley,  countryside to city.

A stunning and strongly scented plant which usually goes unnoticed but has a lot to teach us.

A pleasant walk into work this morning, yeidled a few nice edible finds in Oud Zuid. Here are my two favourites:

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthum) gracing a lamppost near Apollo house. A classy spot for a classy herb and a nationally endangered one at that!  I had to supress the urge to pull this up and replant it safely at school. It’s sure to be obliterated by the council strimmers within weeks and yet the size shows that it is a couple of years old. Perhaps the strimmer guys like it too or perhaps it’s just a strong perennial which bounces back after twice yearly strimming?

I’ll watch it with interest over the coming weeks.

Then a sturdy hollyhock, building strength against a rubbish bin. Hollyhock should be the municipal plant of Amsterdam – it is really part of the landscape on every street.

And on my walk home through Jeruzalem, a variegated ground elder (zevenblad)! Very pretty and very invasive. This fills a few of the gardens along one street.

Thanks for the challenger photos which have arrived this evening. I’ll add more tomorrow.

Today,  lots of beautiful photos and experiences from the 30 day challengers:

Elodie has been experimenting with Japanese knotweed and realises how stringy those stems can be. Best to push them through a metal sieve if this happens and make the best of it by using some sour pulp. Next time is best to use only the tender shoot tips for cooking.

Carlijn has been very busy also. Here is Greater celandine (Stinkende gouw)

Veronica

Pensylvania pellitory

From me,  Hawthorn. Happy Beltane everyone!

Peter has found some amazing plants along the Belfast peace line:

Here is Herb Robert in bloom.

Keep up the great plant hunting everyone.  We are 1/3 of the way through the challenge!

My latest find is a succulent crop of  English Chamomile leaves and parsley.

Growing amongst it is a speckled plant which I don’t know. Any idea what it is? The leaves are rubbery and almost orchid like.  A few of these have popped up in my rooftop planters amongst the perennial herbs. I am looking forward to seeing the flowers and identifying the plant.

Here is a very familiar plant – Holly (Ilex aquifolium) currently in flower.  The whole plant is well known for being poisonous,  especially to children and yet in small quantities it has been long used as a tea and effervescent a coffee substitute. I’ve found several recipes over the years for tea and infused wine from Holly leaves but always wonder if the plant has been muddled with Barberis aquifolium for those recipes.

This is certainly not a plant to be considered for regular consumption but those flowers are stunning and I’m more tempted to add one or two of those to a recipe,  than the leaves. If you have experience of using Holly, I’d love to hear about it. In the meantime,  let’s leave it for the bees.

Today, more beautiful photos from the challengers. We now are a group of 12, if you would like to join please do!

From Tanya in Devon, UK, delicate Lady’s smock (Cardamine pratensis). Yes, it is edible but no we don’t harvest it because it is a wild flower and what a pretty one. It is a close relative of Hairy bitter cress (Cardamine hirsuta) and it shares the same peppery flavour. I planted this next to my little garden pond last year – that’s about the only way to be able to harvest it – grow your own.

From Hannah in Amsterdam, another lovely sketch of poisonous bluebells and edible dandelion.

From Peter in Belfast, beautiful Choysia flowers. Stunning blooms which are not edible. So another plant to raise the spirits as we see them rather than thinking of ways to eat them.

Elodie in Badhoevendorp, has been cooking up foraged Japanese knotweed at home.

So what have you found this weekend?

Pollinators certainly benefit from pavement gardens such as this one which is full with yellow broom and purple wallflower blossom. As mentioned yesterday,  clean wallflowers are edible and broom flowers are too. I like to infuse them in honey. Here’s a useful summary of the plants uses and note of its toxicity.

Here are a couple of gorgeous photos from our friend Peter in Belfast. The more I see of that city,  the more I want to visit!

Firstly,  Fumitory, Earth smoke. This plant has many historical uses. It can cause gastric distress in some people and is generally associated as a laxative,  cleanser,  aid in healing psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. To me,  it’s all about cleansing and preparing the way for fresh things to come. It makes a nice tincture and a couple of those tiny flowers sprinkled on food are very pleasant. But only when I find a hope swathe of the plant. Fumitory is a pretty plant friend from the poppy family as you’ll notice by examining the leaves. Quite a special appearance and texture.

Second, young oak leaves and flower clusters. So rarely noticed or foraged but far tastier than mature acorns! Peter makes Oak flower essence – a great use for the plant.  My partner visited central Spain recently and brought me back a packet of rather delicious acorn candies. A thoughtful gift! Something to recreate in Belfast perhaps Peter?