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Wild Garlic

It's protected by the country rangers here in the spots they look after. Does smell wonderful though when you walk past it.
 
It is as invasive as a very invasive thing in a position in garden soil that it likes - naturally a woodland plant (it grows and flowers before deciduous trees leaf-up), and I suspect that it prefers acid soils - I never knew it on the basic clays soils of E Anglia where I grew up, but it is everywhere where I have moved to, on acid soils. It forms an impressive and somewhat depressing monoculture where it likes things - personally, I prefer bluebells, which are super-abundant around here, thankfully (so presumably no, or more likely, rather few muntjac).

DO NOT introduce it to your garden, leave it where it looks nice and naturally occurs i.e. elsewhere.
 
Love it now, early in the season when leaves are still young. On pasta or potatoes, with butter or dairy cream rather than olive oil. Half a garlic clove rounds up the flavour IMO. With a glass of proper red wine, yummy ! Once in a year is enough.
 
We have had wild garlic in the garden for decades. Looks like it is growing well.

The grandkids eat the flowers. We use the leaves in things.

We have bluebells as well. Under the bush next to the fern.
 
Big Tabs said:
We have had wild garlic in the garden for decades. Looks like it is growing well.

The grandkids eat the flowers. We use the leaves in things.

We have bluebells as well. Under the bush next to the fern.
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We have bluebells in the garden but no garlic. On our usual drive to Ripon via Markington for our shopping, there is a stream running through a wooded valley, both sides of the road and into the meadow alongside the stream are overwhelmed with wild garlic, we have missed the aroma this year, no trips out, fortunately we have the garden, many people, sadly, are in a much worse position. The grandkids are scattered around, Devon to Australia so we don't see them too often, even less this year.
 
There are several spots around here with literally several acres of bluebells, uninterrupted by any garlic.

To stand and just look, chiff-chaff, willow warbler and, if you are lucky, a blackcap providing the music, even the occasional crow passing over the tree-tops...……………….. sheer heaven
 
kennyh said:
It's protected by the country rangers here in the spots they look after. Does smell wonderful though when you walk past it.
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Protected? Here in Yorkshire it's a weed, every wood is overrun with it come May. This year I shall pick a shedload. Great with pasta, salads, fill your boots. Usually features in meals on bank holiday camping weekends, no likelihood of any of that this year.
 
Anyone got a recipe for garlic soup? I lived in Pamplona for about 6 months when I was 20 and I used to love it. They would serve it with an egg.
 
Start with onion soup, go from there. Simple enough I would think. Your basics are going to be onions, carrots, celery, a shedload of garlic, meat stock of choice or availability
 
It's very common round my way. No.2 daughter makes garlic pesto with it. Each year I get given a couple of jars which I add to the collection in the garage. I've often wondered what the shelf life is.

I've noticed that the wild garlic and bluebells seem to be flowering earlier this year. Even my last year's geraniums are bursting forth, infact they never really stopped flowering all winter.
 
Recipe. Blitz youngish wild Garlic allium leaves (and flowers) with walnuts and olive oil and pecorino or Parmesan. Season. Stick in Kilmer jars then top with more olive oil. Store in cool and dark

Use With pasta or gnocchi. Or stick spoonful in sauces, casseroles etc for extra depth.
 
Note of caution.. As far as I know Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta (formerly Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta) are not edible.. though I've found nothing saying they are actively toxic.
I find that the flowers of Wild Garlic have a very subtle effect both in texture and flavour when sprinkled over your dish. The leaves are fab.. but blacken quickly.. the lower white stems are gorgeous.
I'm not aware it is protected anywhere. It grows freely quite high up around here in shady spots under trees.
 
Yesterday (didn’t pick any though).
699F5396-99E1-4C7C-A42C-8FB147C7465D.jpeg
 
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