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Places to forage for wild garlic

A path curves through a woodland floor of white-flowered wild garlic which is flanked by trees with bright green deciduous leaves
Wild garlic grows among the trees in the woodland garden at Newark Park in Gloucestershire | © National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

Wild garlic grows in damp, woody areas from late winter until the end of spring. Discover where you can find wild garlic in many woodlands in our care and savour its fragrant smell as you stroll.

Check before you forage

Foraging is not permitted at the protected sites in our care, including National Nature Reserves (NNR) and Sites of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI). Please check before you visit.

How to spot wild garlic

The most tell-tale sign that you’ve discovered wild garlic is its smell. If you’re walking through a patch of countryside where wild garlic grows, your nose will alert you.

You can eat the leaves raw or cooked and they taste milder than shop-bought garlic. When foraging, it’s important to not uproot the plant. Only pick the leaves and flowers and avoid taking too much from one area.

Caution

Please note: wild garlic looks similar to lily of the valley, which is poisonous. The key difference between the two plants is that wild garlic always smells – yes, you guessed it – of garlic. If you’re in any doubt about which plant you’ve found, do not pick or eat it.

White starry flowers of wild garlic amid green leaves
Wild garlic growing at Fowey, Cornwall | © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole

Where to find wild garlic

Downhill Demesne, County Londonderry
Carpets of wild garlic sweep across the cliff-top estate of Downhill Demesne. Together with the bluebells, they create an enticing scent.Visit Downhill Demesne
Erddig, Wrexham
Follow the orange waymarked route through Erddig's parkland and Big Wood to find the largest area of wild garlic on the estate.Visit Erddig
Fowey Estuary, Cornwall
Wild garlic can be found throughout the Fowey Estate, particularly in the cool, shady patches of woodland.Visit Fowey Estuary
Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire
Take a stroll through Lady Spencer’s Wood and breathe in the tangy smell of wild garlic as you go.Visit Hardwick Hall
A path cuts through a sloped deciduous woodland, flanked on either side by the white flowers and bright green leaves of wild garlic. Dappled sunlight filters through onto the spring-green woodland leaves.
Wild garlic at Downhill Demesne in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland | © National Trust Images/Wilbert McIlmoyle
Ilam Park and Dovedale, Derbyshire
Head along Paradise Walk and down to the River Manifold to see vast carpets of wild garlic – a truly sensory experience.Visit Ilam Park and Dovedale
Newark Park, Gloucestershire
You don't have to go far to find wild garlic at Newark Park. A walk around the estate will take you past large swathes of these white flowers.Visit Newark Park
Prior Park, Bath
Wild garlic is prolific in the gardens at Prior Park. Collect a paper bag, along with some recipe cards, when you visit and be inspired in the kitchen.Visit Prior Park
Visitor along the Lake Walk on an electric mobility scooter at Mount Stewart, County Down

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Foraging for wild food 

We believe that foraging for wild food brings us closer to nature and reminds us that we need to take care of it. Find out how to forage safely and sustainably at the places in our care and beyond.