Honeysuckle (Lonicera aaaa) insert name where aaaa equals one of around 180 species is another plant that you can find in both gardens and hedgerows.

The Honeysuckle is both a hardy climber and a shrub with scented flowers that attract a myriad of insects, butterflies and bees to feast on the nectar. In the autumn the flowers change to bright red berries that birds feed on helping to spread its seeds.

There are many different flowers colours, but the one that I normally come across is the pink and cream flowers that are shown in the pictures.

Honeysuckle flowers can be used to make a sweetly scented tea, however the berries are poisonous so stay away from them. Do your research first of course on how to make the tea and forage sensibly and within the law.

Ivy is one of those plants that makes its home where it wants to and grows along the ground or up trees and structures.

Its tendrils sprout roots every so often that take old in wood or brick and help anchor the plant to its position, so it can continue its journey upwards or outwards.

It can transform a building into looking idyllic with a green covering over the bricks or add a green foliage to the trunk of a tree and make it look green throughout the seasons. Underneath though the Ivy is slowly sucking moisture out of the wood and bricks making it dry, soft and brittle.

Several varieties of Ivy have been classed as an invasive species due to their spread and damage.

In the right places Ivy can look good, but in the wrong places it can cause untold damage.

Ivy belongs to the genus Hedera and there are many species across the world.

Ivy has some good uses such as a cordage when the vines are soft and supple. It can also be used to weave baskets.

Certain Ivy’s have been shown to have medicinal properties and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Ivy is also associated with Christmas and is often a component of wreaths and other festive decorations.

In some countries though certain species of Ivy is poisonous and should only be handled in the correct method and wearing protective equipment.

The Poppy is one of the most recognisable flowers of the UK countryside and across the world due to its links to remembrance parades and the poppies growing in the fields of previous war battles (Flanders Fields). It is also used in medicine to produce pain killers and other uses.

Growing in fields, along roadsides and in gardens the Poppy is easily recognisable due to its red flowers, however poppies are not always red and can be yellow, purple, orange or even white.

Poppy seeds are used in culinary dishes such as Turkish poppy seed cake or sprinkled across the top of bread.

There are many different varieties of poppy (List below from Wikipedia) that grow across the world.

• Papaver – Papaver rhoeas, Papaver somniferum, Papaver orientale, Papaver nudicaule, Papaver cambricum
• Eschscholzia – Eschscholzia californica
• Meconopsis – Meconopsis napaulensis
• Glaucium – the horned poppies including Glaucium flavum and Glaucium corniculatum
• Stylophorum – celandine poppy
• Argemone – prickly poppy
• Romneya – matilija poppy and relatives
• Canbya – pygmy poppy
• Stylomecon – wind poppy
• Arctomecon – desert bearpaw poppy
• Hunnemannia – tulip poppy
• Dendromecon – tree poppy

When the poppies age towards autumn, they form dried seed pods that act as shakers in the wind and spread the Poppy Seeds for the next plants to grow.

The Dog Rose or Wild Rose (Rosa canina) can be found in hedgerows and road sides. It can also be found as a cultivated garden plant. There are many different varieties of this rose.

The rose climbs and winds through hedgerows. In a garden it needs something to grow against. Growing anywhere between 1 and 5 meters and like other roses, the stems are covered with thorns. The thorns help to provide grip and hold against and aid its climb.

Typically the flowers are pink and white with five petals. In Autumn they turn to Rose Hips.

The rose hips outsides (shell) contains antioxidants and some vitamins. Hence Rose Hip Tea and its benefits. When using rose hips, its important to know what you are doing and also not to use the seeds as they are poisonous.

As with all foraging, forage responsibly and within the law. Also don’t over indulge on something if its your first time trying it!

Goosegrass (Galium aparine), also known as Cleavers, Sticky Willy, Sticky Weed…. there are quite a few names for this plant. If your not familiar with the names, maybe the use of it, as lots of people pick some of the plant and throw it at each other as it sticks to clothes due to the tiny hooked hairs on the leaves and stalks. Know it now?

Its one of those plants that you see a lot of along hedgerow, paths and woods, growing intertwining itself amongst other plants.

Its “sticky” properties help it climb through other plants and also help disperse its round seeds which are also covered in the tiny hooked hairs. Normally on the coats of mammals and feathers of birds, but also by humans seeing how much you can get onto someones back before they notice.

It is worth noting though that some people can be allergic to this plant and may come up in a rash, so I’m not suggesting that you pick and throw it at anyone.

Its distribution is throughout Europe and its a fairly common plant.

It does have uses in both medicine and foraging.

The plant can be boiled and used as a potato substitute or its seeds roasted and ground as a coffee without caffeine. A herbal infusion can be made from its leaves. Before you go out and try any of these, you must first learn how to prepare, use and make.

As with all foraging, forage responsibly and within the law. Also don’t over indulge on something if its your first time trying it!