A reminder that you can see the latest bookable events here!
I had a nice visitor to the garden a couple of weeks ago (no, not Ollie!) – a big healthy frog! We are lucky that even though we are caught between the built up busy roads of East Belfast we have so many exciting visitors to the garden. I honestly don’t know if it helps that I leave the garden semi-maintained. I pull annoying stuff out if I have the energy and I plant a little but mostly this garden is the result of abandon. I feel like I need to see more abandon in the world. Leaving well alone is a virtue. Allowing things to happen is underrated. Letting time pass should be more valued etc etc etc! I’m exceptionally lucky to have this space and my freedom to enjoy it. The older I get the more I fight against the need for more than this and the more disillusioned I become with those who feel like this is never enough.
This month I had to make a complaint (not for the first time, as is my way) about the heavy and truly unnecessary use of herbicides Black Head Path in Whitehead. Hundreds of plants just killed and the soil poisoned for the season. It upset me. Probably more than I am willing to admit in person. Our public resources are being stretched to breaking but somehow, somewhere, some person decided time and money needed to be spent on killing plants for the sake of neatness. If you see it – call it out and tell them to leave it alone, please. As yet they haven’t come back to me. Absolutely no surprises there. Maybe I should just stay in my garden. So please come, little damp frogs and beautiful cautious goldfinches and noisy blackbirds, butterflies, snails and the lot. At least they are getting the point of it all.
Last month I was taken with the dandelions, this month it is the buttercups. This meadow in Ormeau is always a pleasure but this display of buttercups had me in their grip and I must have taken 20 photos on my walk home from work that day. In my opinion they are a vastly underrated beauty. June is bringing me on lots of walks in the city as we all get that extra bit of time. That means things to look out for are coming in their droves.
Out this month
Cherries – I’ve already gathered a couple of jars of cherries this week – don’t miss them! You need to wait until they are a dark ruby red or they might be bitter. If you are lucky to get a haul I have a great recipe for cherry cheesecake brownies here.
Chicken of the woods – Fungi season is just opening up – this is one of the first and good for beginners. Great video from Wild Food UK here!
Linden flowers – gather on a warm bright day and dry for tea. I’ll maybe do some new recipes for these next week if I am granted the time. Watch this space.
Sea Radish Pods – get to the beach! Eat them as they are or pickle them for later. Delicious, spicy radishy.
All the flowers! – Roses, honeysuckle, oxeye daisies, campanula, dames rocket, field mustard, bush vetch – there are so many delicious and beautiful ones
Seed season – nettle, plantain, wild garlic! Have space to grow your own garlic? Now is the time to gather the mature seed pods and sprinkle them into a shady, damp part of the garden and reap the rewards in a year or two.
Wild Strawberries – or in my case, easy garden strawbs. I have a recipe without a recipe below that I threw together for lunch using these wee babes.
Marinated tofu with watermelon, mint and wild strawberries
The main component of this salad is some marinated tofu to make it resemble feta in this salad. Just simply chop up your favourite firm tofu and put it into a jar with a good amount of salt, lemon juice, garlic, dried mint and oregano. Leave it overnight in the fridge. Then assemble with some tinned lentils, strawberries, watermelon and whatever else you like. I also used mint, nasturtium leaves, yarrow fronds and a few lawn daisies. Finish with salt, pepper and olive oil.
Lastly! Happy Solstice
Thank you to everyone who came along to my walks this season – especially those in the rain! I’m still waiting some tickets to go on sale for other Summer foraging – I’ll pop out an email once that happens. In the meantime, don’t forget to go outside – even if you live in the city. You might miss something. Here’s what has been soothing me in the face of the state of things. Until next time! xx
feasting on weeds 
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