Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
19th September 2020
Berry Nice
Blackberrying season is upon us, and has been for a while, as they have ripened earlier than usual this year. I have seen some great fruits – as have the blackbirds judging by their juice stained beaks – but others tell me that it is a disappointing year. I suppose it depends where you are looking.
If you don’t want to rely on hedgerows for the delicious black berries, then consider growing some of the great varieties (some thornless) in your garden. There is a good range to choose from, some with very large fruits, although the smaller fruits of the Navaho variety are thought to be amongst the best tasting. It is also the first upright, thornless variety, ticking a lot of boxes for growing in the garden.
As well as blackberries, consider some of the hybrid berries. Boysenberry (loganberry, raspberry and dewberry cross), Tayberry (raspberry and blackberry cross), Loganberry (raspberry and blackberry cross) or Mum and Dad’s favourite – so one we grew up enjoying – Japanese wineberry. It is described as ‘moderately vigorous’, which means it can get a bit untidy but has attractive stems that are covered with soft, bright red bristles. The small, sticky, sweet fruit turn from golden yellow to red when ripe and are absolutely delicious.
Hip Hip Hooray
As well as enjoying some beautiful berry-based recipes, I always make rose hip syrup at this time of year. Traditionally the rosehip or rose hips (you choose) used are the fruits of the wild roses you find in hedgerows, but I am told that the best hips for cooking are the big, fat, orange ones from Rosa Rugosa. I have lots of these in the garden and cottage hedgerow, as I love the big blousy flowers anyway. Being able to use the hips (or haws) is definitely an added bonus.
The syrup It is a fabulous tonic for so many things and great for boosting the immune system through the cold winter months, as they contain a large amount of vitamin C. I’m guessing it would also be a good thing to have in the cupboard in the current covid 19 conditions.
Traditionally the hips are boiled with sugar and water, but The Woodland Trust suggests this ‘raw’ syrup recipe for maximum goodness and flavour. It is described as ‘the best Turkish Delight you ever had, crossed with the tang of tropical fruits like mango and lychee. And extremely good for you!’
To make it, give your harvested rosehips a good rinse under the tap and pat them dry. Use a knife to trim the ends and then make a few scores on each hip or pierce them with a fork. Sterilise and dry a sealable jar and place a layer of caster or granulated sugar on the bottom, then a layer of hips. Keep layering hips and sugar until you run out of hips or the jar is full. Try to fill the spaces between the hips with sugar. Seal the jar and put it by a sunny (or warm) window for a couple of weeks, or up to a couple of months, turning it from time to time. The sugar will draw the liquid from the rosehips and form syrup. Strain the syrup through a fine cloth like muslin as rosehips contain hairs, which cause irritation. Seal the syrup in sterilised bottles and keep in the fridge. The high sugar content should stop bacteria from taking hold.
Alternatively, follow the traditional boiled method, which will mean you have your syrup ready much quicker. There are numerous recipes on the Internet but I particularly like The River Cottage one.
Of course, when collecting any wild fruits please ensure that your bounty is properly identified, is safe to ingest, and has not been sprayed with chemicals.
As a Newt
If you created a ‘lockdown’ pond this year, be careful if you are tidying it up or working near to it. I was rebuilding a stone wall near mine last weekend and this little newt (see photo) came to inspect my work. Thankfully I was given the go-ahead to continue.
Most newts will leave their pond by the end of August but some take a bit longer than others – a bit like Welsh kids leaving their Mam’s. Some newts will overwinter in the pond, and those still in the process of metamorphosis may also still be present although they will disperse in due course. I had to smile when I learned that female newts will go further afield than the males. What was I saying about the Welsh families …?
And did you know that the familiar saying (I paraphrase), “As drunk as a newt” came from the way that a newt moves sideways, like a drunken person does. (Allegedly).
Stay Safe
And keeping the column current – Yogi say’s, ‘Don’t forget your mask in shops and other indoor public places.’
Despite being a third generation gardener – on both sides of the family – I always say that gardening chose me, rather than me choosing it.
Either way, I have always felt blessed being able to work outdoors, claiming a bad day outside is still better than a good day in an office. But never have I felt quite so privileged to be a gardener as I have this year.
Stay safe everyone.
Leave a Reply