Foraging responsibly for materials

Foraging Responsibly for Materials

I like to supplement what I grow with materials that I forage for in my local area. When foraging though, it is crucial to do so responsibly.

Here are my top tips for foraging in a respectful and responsible way:

• never forage from private land, which includes city parks or someone's garden
• don't forage in places maintained by charities or public bodies
• never take anything that is endangered or at risk, always check first
• take only what you need and never deplete an area

Foraging in Hedgerows

Hedgerows are generally maintained by farmers and the council, which means that they will be cut back at certain times of the year.

So if you're in an area with hedgerows, bear this in mind so that you can gather your materials before the hedges are cut back.

Make Notes

Keeping notes is a great way to keep track of where you found a plant and the time of year that it is in season.

This will help you to discover the best areas for specific plants so you can return to them again and again.

You might also find something in the wild that you'd like to grow in your own garden, so make a note and then you can order the seeds online.

A Few Favourites to Forage

A few plants that I would recommend you try and find in your local area include:

• bracken, in autumn time
• heather, in autumn time
• seed heads, but cut and shake them in situ so the seeds stay in the area
• beech leaves, around mid-October to November

Bracken

Bracken is a hugely versatile fern. You can use it as a filler plant, in wreaths and in autumn and winter displays. It's also a very abundant plant, so you don't need to worry about over-foraging in the way you would with some plants.

What to look for when you're foraging for bracken:

• look for fronds with a yellow/golden tinge
• you don't want to cut the plants when they are green or when they are too brown

Your Assignment

Take your phone and a notebook and go out and explore your local wild spaces. This could be a forest, a riverbank or the local hedgerows.

Make a note of the plants that you see growing and take photos of their appearance throughout the year. Make sure to note the exact location of the plants too, so you will be able to find your way back in the future. The app what3words can be useful for marking the exact location.

This information you record will help you to build up a picture of what you can forage for during different seasons and the best places to find certain plants.