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Places to forage for wild garlic
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.
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
- 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
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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.