Nature isn't always subtle and for good reason. Colourful petals draw a bee towards a flower's nectar-filled centre, a bright white tail of a rabbit confuses its predator during a chase, a colourfully feathered bird attracts a mate. Colour is one of the first things my eyes register when I'm given a drink or a […]

I used to walk round my Granny’s garden and smell the roses, my sisters and I used to snap off her runner beans and eat them raw too. Luckily for Granny, I didn’t know that roses were edible then, though I still love to stop to smell them, whether in a park, someone’s garden or […]

I love scented roses and their symbolism of love. Here in the UK we have several wild varieties and the cultivated ones are, almost, infinite. After a hot, sunny day, the evening aroma of rose and other wild flowers lingers evocatively in the air as the sun goes down. Pure summer heaven, I think. I […]

I love to stop and smell the roses, I love to eat them, cook and garnish with them too. See my wild rose water recipe and rose petal preserve recipe.  Which Roses are Edible? All rose petals are edible and both wild and cultivated roses can be used, though please see my tips for picking […]

The perfect antidote to screen-time: I love watching as the sunlight shines through this golden nectar, and as I tip it upside down, seeing how the honey plummets towards gravity, while the herbs lift towards the heavens. Watching a jar of herb-infused honey is better than netflix for me, well actually, netflix has never had […]

Wohoo!! Elderflowers are one of the wonderful and wild flavours of summer. Over the years of foraging them I've created a lot of new recipes with them. Here I share ten of my elderflower recipes with you, just follow the links for step-by-step instructions. 1. Elderflower cordial The basis of soooo many elderflower delights. There […]

Crystallised flowers and petals are an attractive way to preserve flowers out of season, or prolong their use in season. Flowers candied in this way can last well for several months. This traditional method is a little fiddly and detailed, which suits some people. I find the effect is worth it, but a session once […]

Wild and Sweet is the book I always wanted to write. The idea came to me about 12 years ago (2010) when I was inspired to create my first Nettle and Honey cake. It looked and smelt great when I took it out of the oven. I let it cool a little then wrapped the […]

Gorse Flower Fudge Oh my god, I had such hopes with this recipe, I really thought I’d clinched it first time (which happens occasionally, though is definitely not a given). Heating it slowly, the smell of the gorse flowers was divine and the flavour of properly made fudge, just blissful. I went out early in […]