Wild Garlic

Foraging in Southern England + Recipes from the Farmhouse Kitchen

Wild Garlic in Dartmoor

I was lucky enough to visit Dartmoor during wild garlic season. Along a small woodland stream, I gathered a nice bunch of fresh, green leaves and a few white flower buds. Back home, I headed straight for the kitchen. You'll find the recipes further down this page.

Wild garlic (Allium ursinum), also known in Britain as ramsons, grows abundantly across England in spring. From March until the end of May, you'll find carpets of fresh green leaves in damp, shady woodlands and along woodland streams. From late April onwards, the plants are covered in delicate white flowers. By early June, after flowering, the leaves disappear and the bulbs lie dormant underground until the following spring.

The name wild garlic is no coincidence. Crush a leaf between your fingers and it releases a distinctive garlic scent. The entire plant is edible. The flower buds and blossoms make a beautiful garnish, or can simply be scattered through a spring salad.

"Along a small Dartmoor woodland stream, I gathered a nice bunch of fresh, green leaves and a few white flower buds. Back home, I headed straight for the kitchen."

Wild Garlic in the Garden

Because I enjoy cooking with wild garlic so much, I planted a few bulbs in a wooded corner of our farm yard a few years ago. That first attempt wasn't a success—the soil was simply too sandy. Last year I tried again, this time in richer, damper soil, and this spring the patch has already spread beautifully.

Wild garlic is surprisingly easy to grow in the garden. Plant the bulbs in autumn in a shady spot with moist, fertile soil, and they'll gradually establish themselves year after year.

Foraging Tips

If you're lucky enough to find wild garlic growing in the wild, there are a few simple things to keep in mind. Avoid picking close to busy roads, wash your harvest thoroughly, and always forage responsibly by taking only what you need.