Discover the wild flavours just beyond your door at Reddings Retreat. The Wye Valley is rich with seasonal wild edibles — from hedgerow blackberries to crab apples, rosehips, and nettles. Around Reddings Retreat, you’ll find fruit trees, brambles, and wild herbs that change with the seasons. This guide offers gentle pointers for spotting, identifying, and enjoying what nature provides — always with care and certainty.

 

 

🍎Where to Forage

• Riverside banks along the Wye

• Woodland edges near Penterry Church

• Hedgerows en route to Devil’s Pulpit

• Meadows around Brockweir
  

🍃 Seasonal Spotlight

1. Wild Garlic • Season: Mar–May • Habitat: Damp woodlands, riverbanks • Tip: Young leaves pack more punch—tear and sniff for that garlicky aroma.

2. Elderflowers • Season: May–Jun • Habitat: Hedgerows, river margins • Tip: Harvest the largest umbels; avoid any with brown florets.

3. Blackberries • Season: Aug–Sep • Habitat: Bramble thickets along lanes and woods • Tip: Look for glossy, fully black berries—skip any still red.

4. Rosehips • Season: Sep–Nov • Habitat: Wild rose hedges on high ground • Tip: Wait for a light frost to sweeten them; remove seeds and hairs before use.

5. Wood Sorrel • Season: Apr–Sep • Habitat: Shady, moist lawns and woodland floors • Tip: Taste one leaf first—it should have a bright lemony zing.

Also look for: crab apples, elderberries, nettles, plums & apples.

 

⚖️ How to Forage Responsibly

• Only pick what you can positively identify

• Leave plenty for wildlife and other guests or walkers

• Avoid roadsides, sprayed fields, or busy dog-walking routes

• Wash everything thoroughly before use

• Take small amounts—enough for a snack, tea, or small batch

🚫 Important Disclaimer Please only pick and eat wild plants or fruits if you are 100% certain they are safe to consume. This guide is for inspiration—not identification. When in doubt, admire it, photograph it, or check your Nature ID Index.

 

🍽️ Pairings & Ideas

• Blackberry & apple crumble (microwave-friendly)

• Wild garlic stirred into Potato & Leek Soup or Wild Garlic & Potato Soup

• Nettle soup with your favourite toast topper

• Rosehip syrup drizzled over porridge or overnight oats

• Elderflower cordial with sparkling water

For full recipes, head back to: • 🥣 Soups & Toast Toppers • 🥘 Slow Cooker Recipes for Your Hut

🍃 Seasonal Spotlight

1. Wild Garlic • Season: Mar–May • Habitat: Damp woodlands, riverbanks • Tip: Young leaves pack more punch—tear and sniff for that garlicky aroma.

2. Elderflowers • Season: May–Jun • Habitat: Hedgerows, river margins • Tip: Harvest the largest umbels; avoid any with brown florets.

3. Blackberries • Season: Aug–Sep • Habitat: Bramble thickets along lanes and woods • Tip: Look for glossy, fully black berries—skip any still red.

4. Rosehips • Season: Sep–Nov • Habitat: Wild rose hedges on high ground • Tip: Wait for a light frost to sweeten them; remove seeds and hairs before use.

5. Wood Sorrel • Season: Apr–Sep • Habitat: Shady, moist lawns and woodland floors • Tip: Taste one leaf first—it should have a bright lemony zing.

Also look for: crab apples, elderberries, nettles, plums & apples.

⚖️ How to Forage Responsibly

• Only pick what you can positively identify

• Leave plenty for wildlife and other guests or walkers

• Avoid roadsides, sprayed fields, or busy dog-walking routes

• Wash everything thoroughly before use

• Take small amounts—enough for a snack, tea, or small batch

🚫 Important Disclaimer Please only pick and eat wild plants or fruits if you are 100% certain they are safe to consume. This guide is for inspiration—not identification. When in doubt, admire it, photograph it, or check your Nature ID Index.

🍽️ Pairings & Ideas

• Blackberry & apple crumble (microwave-friendly)

• Wild garlic stirred into Potato & Leek Soup or Wild Garlic & Potato Soup

• Nettle soup with your favourite toast topper

• Rosehip syrup drizzled over porridge or overnight oats

• Elderflower cordial with sparkling water

For full recipes, head back to: • 🥣 Soups & Toast Toppers • 🥘 Slow Cooker Recipes for Your Hut