Make a free herbal bouquets from Fox’s Field.

Unless you walk your dog around the field every evening it’s unlikely that you’ll pop out specially for some herbs for tea. Most of the time (for me anyway) I realise I need them last minute. So that’s where keeping a bouquet of herbs on the table is a great idea. You will then always have fresh herbs to hand when you need them.

They are ideal to pick right now with long stems and fresh leaves, so too are the valarian flowers. This plant self-seeds so readily. We have to cut them back after they flower or the whole forest garden will be valarian – so please take as many as you would like. They are really fragrant too!

There is lemonbalm, apple mint, oregano and Moroccan mint available at the moment, plus the chive flowers are hanging on. Mint and lemonbalm can be used to make a refreshing tea to aid digestion. Lemonbalm can flavour fish or salads. Mint can be mixed with butter to have on your potatoes, or to make mint sauce for lamb, in Lebanese cooking, or in salads. Oregano is perfect in tomato sauces for pasta or pizza, or can be added to salad dressing.

There are some identification signs on the patches of lemonbalm, chives and oregano. The signs have QR codes which send you to more information online. Unfortunately we’ve not done signs for the valerian or mints yet. The flowers used are chive flowers, which are a bit old now for eating. However, the leaves can be used to give a mild onion flavour in salads. You wouldn’t eat the valerian flowers – they are just to heighten the look and smell of the bouquet. The root of this valerian is used to aid sleep. If you would like some of the root you are welcome to dig up a plant – please choose a self seeded one rather than from main patch as it’s removal will help control its spread to other areas.

Check out this video to see how to pick, prep and arrange a hand tied bouquet. Take some scissors with you and some string to tie it.

Make sure you get a long stem by cutting from the plant low down, and strip the lower leaves off to make sure the water doesn’t end up with rotten leaves in it. Turn the flowers as you arrange them, ensuring the tops are the same height, then chop the stems at the bottom so they sit in a vase nicely. They will keep for around a week in a vase of water. So why not visit Fox’s Field and make a free herbal bouquet for your table. This foraging guide and map will assist you in finding delicious food around the town together with recipes.