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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 some of the 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
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
- Allan Banks and Starward Gorge, Northumberland
- The largest area of ancient semi-natural woodland in Northumberland is well known for wild garlic, which carpets the woodland floor in spring and early summer.Visit Allan Banks and Starward Gorge
- Castle Drogo, Devon
- Follow one of the winding paths from the castle to the Teign Gorge and you'll discover an ever-changing display of wildflowers, including wild garlic.Visit Castle Drogo
- Erddig Hall and Garden, 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 Hall and Garden
- Fowey Estuary, Cornwall
- Wild garlic can be found throughout the Fowey Estate, particularly in the cool, shady patches of woodland.Visit Fowey Estuary
- Greenway, Devon
- Explore through woodland and paths alongside the River Dart, where wild garlic grows and herons nest.Visit Greenway
- Hardwick, Derbyshire
- Take a stroll through Lady Spencer’s Wood and breathe in the tangy smell of wild garlic as you go.Visit Hardwick
- Minnowburn, County Down
- Explore the meadows and woodland around the famous Minnowburn Beeches, where wild garlic grows in abundance in the spring.Visit Minnowburn
- Mussenden Temple and 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 Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne
- 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 Landscape Garden, 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 Landscape Garden
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