Season Window
04-16 to 05-10Damp deciduous woodland, shaded stream banks, and old estate paths
Mid-spring to early summer
Wild Garlic
Allium ursinum
Wild garlic is the woodland's green announcement that spring has properly arrived: pungent, generous, and impossible to mistake once the air fills with its scent.
Harvest
How we meet this plant
Pick a few leaves or flowers from abundant patches, taking care not to uproot bulbs. Confirm the garlic smell on every leaf.
Preparation
At the kitchen table
Fold into butter, pesto, soup, vinegar, oil, or quick ferments. Flowers can be used as a sharp seasonal garnish.
Community Use
Why we teach it
A beginner-friendly plant for teaching identification, woodland ecology, and ethical harvest limits.
Safety
Do not rely on sight alone. Lily-of-the-valley and other poisonous lookalikes can share similar habitats; wild garlic should smell unmistakably of garlic.