Foraging guide

Written by an experienced forest school leader, the Wild Foraging guide is ideal for a walk with children.

• Identification guide to 25 of the commonest and tastiest plants to find
• Featuring edible flowers, leaves, nuts, fruits, seeds and roots
• Also included are some common lookalikes to avoid
• Practical for use outdoors: lightweight, rucksack-sized, splash-proof

What better way to enjoy the outdoors than by finding your own food for free? Foraging turns an ordinary walk into a fun, satisfying adventure. It’s also a wonderful way to get children excited about nature, creating lasting memories of picking and tasting wild blackberries straight from the hedge.

This guide features 25 of the most common and delicious wild plants you can gather, including edible flowers, leaves, nuts, fruits, seeds and roots. Once you’ve collected your harvest, you can try the easy recipes inside, from wild garlic pesto and crab apple leathers to stinging nettle soup and elderflower cordial. Beautiful colour illustrations and a clear identification table help you feel confident about which plants to pick. We’ve also included notes on common lookalikes to avoid.

Foraging is possible all year round, so the guide offers tips on what to look for each month. You don’t need much equipment – just something to carry your finds, or simply pick and snack as you walk. All the featured plants are widespread and easy to find in gardens, parks, hedgerows, waste ground, meadows, and woods. Some, like dandelion, hairy bitter-cress, garlic mustard, and chickweed, are often found growing as garden weeds.

Whether you’re exploring the countryside or your local park, foraging adds a new layer of discovery to every walk.