You can learn more about forest gardening, permaculture, and why we grow the plants we grow in our Forest Gardening article here.
Not everything on this list is available all the time, but everything (edible) that's available in the gardens is on this list. Listings indicate the main harvest time for each crop.
As a rule, greens are best picked before flowering, while the new season's growth is still fresh. If cut back after flowering, most will then produce new fresh growth to eat.
WARNING: It is impossible to completely eradicate non-edible plants from the gardens, and hazards exist if you pick the wrong plant. Please note in particular that daffodils, foxgloves and many types of fungi are common in the gardens and should not be eaten. Please positively identify anything you plan to eat from the gardens using this guide or another reliable source.
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Sage
Care: Pick regularly to encourage bushy growth. Trim back after flowering.
Harvest: Leaves, virtually all year round. Snip tops of stems rather than picking individual leaves, to encourage new shoots.
Eat: Chopped or whole as flavouring in stuffings, stews, pasta dishes and squash dishes, and especially with roast meats and sausages.
CAUTION: Toxic in large quantities or if overused. Some sources recommend avoiding this herb during pregnancy.
ALL YEAR ROUND
Salad Burnet
Care: Cut back hard after flowering and if taste becomes bitter, to promote fresh new growth.
Harvest: Any time plant is growing well, but usually best in spring or after a good cutting-back.
Eat: Raw in salads and sandwiches – the leaves have a taste like cucumber.
SPRING
Sea Beet
Care: Cut back after flowering.
Harvest: Leaves, at any time during growth (but flavour may suffer during flowering).
Eat: As spinach. Steam for a side dish or add to egg dishes, pasta dishes, curries, bakes, soups etc.
AUTUMN, WINTER, SPRING
Sheep Sorrel
Care: This plant spreads – remove surplus plants and spent flowers. Cut back after flowering or when bitter.
Harvest: Leaves, any time during growth but best in spring.
Eat: Raw in salads or sandwiches, cooked in soups or sauces. The lemony flavour especially complements fish.
CAUTION: Can contain high levels of oxalic acid, which is harmless in small amounts (it is also in spinach) but can be problematic in larger quantities, especially for those with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity, so limit intake accordingly. Cooking reduces levels.
SPRING
Siberian Purslane (aka Pink Purslane)
Care: None required.
Harvest: Leaves, all year round, though they are tastiest in winter/spring and can sometimes be bitter in summer.
Eat: Raw or cooked. Add to salads and sandwiches or cook as you would spinach.
ALL YEAR ROUND
Sorrel (non-flowering form)
Care: Remove unsightly leaves and cut back when tired. This is a non-flowering form, which means more tasty leaves all year round.
Harvest: Any time during growth.
Eat: Raw in salads or sandwiches, cooked in soups or sauces. The lemony flavour especially complements fish. Add near the end of cooking.
CAUTION: Can contain high levels of oxalic acid, which is harmless in small amounts (it is also in spinach) but can be problematic in larger quantities, especially for those with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity, so limit intake accordingly. Cooking reduces levels.
ALL YEAR ROUND
Spinach
Care: Keep well watered to avoid bolting. Resow in spring and autumn.
Harvest: Individual leaves, when a good size.
Eat: Steamed or wilted in butter and a little lemon juice, or added to egg dishes, pasta dishes, curries, bakes, soups etc.
AUTUMN, WINTER, SPRING
Spring Onions
Care: Keep weed-free. Annual – resow next year.
Harvest: Snip at base, and the leaves will grow back!
Eat: Raw or cooked. Slice thinly in salads, toss through couscous or stir fries, or shred for garnish.
ALL YEAR ROUND (if resown regularly)
Stinging Nettle
Care: Cut back after flowering, for fresh autumn growth.
Harvest: Top 2-4 pairs leaves, using gloves!
Eat: Delicious in soups, stews and curries, or as crisps (like kale) or a simple side dish. The leaves’ stinging power vanishes as soon as the leaves are cooked. Highly nutritious!
SPRING
Strawberry
Care: Remove dead leaves. Remove runners, to redirect energy to fruiting. Cut back to 2-3 healthy leaves in September.
Harvest: Pick berries when deep red all over.
Eat: Raw or cooked into desserts or jams.
SUMMER
Sweet Woodruff
Care: None.
Harvest: Pick leafy sprigs in spring, before or upon flowering.
Eat: Use dried leaves and flowers (not stems, which are bitter) to infuse desserts, syrups and sauces with a sweet, vanilla-like flavour. Remove leaves before eating.
Alternatively, use dried in the house to scent cupboards, in pot pourri, and to keep moths away.
SPRING
Tarragon
Care: Cut back after flowering and at end of season.
Harvest: Leaves, anytime before flowering.
Eat: In sauces, pies and casseroles, especially with chicken or fish. In bearnaise sauce and other classic French dishes. In flavoured vinegars and salad dressings.
SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN
Tomato
Harvest tomatoes when bright red.
BUSH TOMATOES (usually in containers): Feed fortnightly for best results. Do not prune.
CORDON TOMATOES (usually growing up tall canes): Feed fortnightly for best results. Prune out side shoots/branches to maintain a single main stem, with leaves and flower trusses all growing directly from the main stem. Tie to supports.
SUMMER
Wild Garlic
Care: None. Remove debris at end of spring.
Harvest: Spring, when leaves appear. Leaves are best before flowering, but flowers are also edible. Please do not harvest bulbs.
Eat: Raw or lightly cooked. Add to omelettes, risottos and pasta dishes. Make pesto, or chop and stir through buttery new potatoes or spring veg.
SPRING
Wild Rocket
Care: Cut back after flowering and when fresh growth is required.
Harvest: Leaves or flowers, any time during growth (virtually all year round).
Eat: In salads or sandwiches, or in pesto, pasta dishes, risottos, or scattered raw on pizzas.
AUTUMN, WINTER, SPRING
Wild Strawberry
Care: Remove dead leaves. Remove or replant runners where plants get too congested.
Harvest: When fully red.
Eat: Best raw.
SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN
Winter Purslane (aka claytonia or miner's lettuce)
Care: These plants are short-lived but spread seed freely, so allow plants to set some seed to create new plants. Remove dead material as needed and thin out surplus plants.
Harvest: Individual leaves, or whole plants when they’re plentiful. Flowers are also edible.
Eat: Raw in salads or sandwiches. Mild flavour.
AUTUMN, WINTER, SPRING
Yarrow (aka Achillea)
A medicinal herb, also sometimes used in teas. Grown here mainly for attracting beneficial insects.
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WARNING: It is impossible to completely eradicate non-edible plants from the gardens, and hazards exist if you pick the wrong plant. Please note in particular that daffodils, foxgloves and many types of fungi are common in the gardens and can be dangerously toxic. Please positively identify anything you plan to eat from the gardens using this guide or another reliable source.