Small Bunch of Gorse Flowers and Wild Garlic

Yesterday we went for a walk in the woods not far from where we live.  Its times like this when I wish even more that I had a dog that I would take with me, ah I can wish - one day.

I came back with a small handful of edible flowers.  First gorse flowers.  Ever since I learned they were edible, I wanted to forage for some, but I only ever saw  them on the polluted motorway.  So you can imagine, I was quite pleased to find them in a relatively clean environment. I've got quite a few recipes bookmarked to make: gorse flower syrup, gorse flower ice-cream, gorse flower cordial, gorse flower wine and much more, but this time it will be something relatively simple, as I did only pick a small posy. 

Then later that same afternoon, we went for a drive to a place where I know where wild garlic grows.  I picked only a little, its a little late now really - but I did bring back a small bagful to make something simple.  

My blog has loads of wild garlic inspiration, but I would like to share a handful such as 
Wild Garlic Pesto Pasta
Scottish Wild Garlic Oatcakes
Wild Weed Tortilla

This time round though, I will be making something quite simple - Wild Garlic Hummus.  
I am sharing this small harvest albeit one foraged and not from my garden with Daphne's Dandelions who hosts Harvest Mondays.  

True Lips Tulips

I'm not much of a flower person, unless of course they are a companion flowers for vegetables or edible ones like nasturtiums.  marigolds, borage, pansy, cornflower, violets, saying that I do like posy of scented sweet peas.

Today, I thought I would share a some flowers that are coming up in the front of our new house (not the back garden where we are planning to just grow vegetables).  Every other day, there is a new stem of colour that has emerged from the ground to surprise us, it makes me smile.  This has delighted me as I was going to (and probably still will) throw some wild flower seeds, as the garden romantic in me would like the bees and butterflies to flutter by and enjoy as they go by their merry business.  For now, I am enjoying seeing what different flowers pop up here and there, many I do not know the name of, but these I do - tulips.  The tulips have replaced the daffodils.

So why true lips, tulips ? 

One of my nephews just could not say the word tulips, so I said to him say true lips, he did.  I encouraged him to keep repeating it.  Then I said remove the R and try saying it.  He was able to say tue-lips and kept repeating it until it was natural - Tulips.  He smiled..  

I am enjoying the tulips while they stand proud, not for long as the rain is giving them a good hard battering.  

Borage and Bees

One of the first edible flowers we grew in the garden plot was borage, little did we know that it would self seed and come up blooming blue every year.  And without failure, here they are again growing amongst the potatoes.

The bees love it though, and I now and again get to pretty up a salad plate with the edible flowers and the baby leaves, which taste like cucumber.

Some progress in the garden plot

I decided not to go to the allotment today, I think I deserve the Bank holiday off, both from work and from the plot. Instead on this rainy day, I decided to go into the city centre for a little while, and then come home only to potter about in the garden.
These are some of the herbs I got from the garden centre yesterday, now potted up, except for the angelica, that will be going to the allotment plot.

Chives nearly in flower, good for the wildlife, especially the bees. I am looking forward to seeing them when they come.

The garden plot is looking good too, especially the garlic and shallots which are coming along fantastically!

These wild flowers, have been growing on the side of my 'cottage' flat. I think they are some kind of yellow poppy but I'm not too sure. Pretty though.