The tops of these trees, which were once far above us, are now at eye level. We can touch branches and bark that would normally be way out of reach. It is a good time to spot lichens, mosses, and giant lungwort on a fallen oaks and to peer into the trunks of fallen beech and ash trees. Odder, and more amusing, are the clumps of primroses and wild garlic that are continuing to grow on the upturned root systems of these fallen trees. It is a strange, upside-down world - we are crouching to pick pine tips and reaching up for wild garlic.
Right now, while everything is bright green and bursting with life — feels like the perfect moment to pick and store a little of that magic away. Here are two simple recipes we love making at home, using foraged ingredients. They’re both easier than you might think — the hardest part is just having a little patience while they do their thing.
Recipe 1: Pickled Wild Garlic Buds
A crunchy, garlicky treat – perfect on salads, cheese boards or straight from the jar.
Identifying Wild Garlic
Wild garlic has smooth, broad green leaves that smell of garlic when crushed. It grows in damp woodlands and forms flower buds – small green or white clusters on slender stalks – that open into star-shaped white flowers.
Estimated prep time
10 minutes of hands-on work, plus at least two weeks’ pickling.
What you’ll need
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About 50g wild garlic flower buds, rinsed and patted dry
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240ml cider or white wine vinegar
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120ml water
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1 tbsp sugar
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1 tsp salt
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Optional: 1 tsp pink peppercorns, mustard seeds, fennel seeds or chilli flakes
How to make it
Sterilise your jar: Run a clean jar through a hot dishwasher cycle, or place it in a 100C oven for 30 minutes.
Make the brine: In a small saucepan, gently warm the vinegar, water, sugar and salt until dissolved. Stir in any optional spices, then leave to cool.
Pack the buds: Place the garlic buds in the sterilised jar, leaving about 1cm of space at the top.
Cover with brine: Pour over the cooled liquid, ensuring the buds are submerged. Press them down gently if needed, then seal tightly.
Chill and wait: Store the jar in the fridge for at least two weeks. Enjoy within a few months for the best flavour.
Wild Garlic Foraging Tip
Be sure you've correctly identified the plant before eating. Only take what you need, and leave plenty behind. Cut or pinch leaves near the base – don’t pull up the bulbs.
Recipe 2: Spruce Tip Syrup
Drizzle over pancakes or ice cream, or stir into sparkling water.
Estimated prep time
10 minutes to pack the jar, plus about one month steeping.
What you’ll need
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About 225g fresh spruce tips (around 2½ cups)
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450g brown or organic sugar (about 2 cups)
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A 1-litre jar with a lid
How to make it
Combine and pack: Mix the spruce tips and sugar in the jar. (Pulsing them in a food processor first helps deter mould and speeds up fermentation.)
Set it in the sun: Place the jar somewhere warm – a sunny windowsill is ideal. Stir now and then, gently pressing the mixture down with a clean spoon.
Wait: Leave it to sit for about a month, allowing the sugar to extract the piney goodness.
Heat and strain: Transfer the syrupy mixture to a small pan, add a couple of tablespoons of water and simmer briefly until any remaining sugar dissolves. Strain into a clean jar.
Store and enjoy: Keep it in the fridge. If it thickens too much, warm gently and add a little water to loosen. This forest-fresh syrup keeps almost indefinitely and adds a woodland note to anything you drizzle it on.
Spruce? Fir? Pine?
You can make syrup from pine, spruce or fir tips – all are edible and safe (in moderation), and each brings a slightly different flavour:
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Pine tips: mild, resinous and citrusy – a classic choice
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Spruce tips: bright, tangy and slightly lemony – great for syrup
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Fir tips: more delicate, sweet and floral in flavour
Don’t worry if you’ve picked a mix – as long as you’re 100% sure they’re not yew (which is toxic) and you’re only using soft, young green tips.
How to Avoid Yew Trees
The Yew tree, while ancient and fascinating, is also toxic. Learn how to identify a Yew tree (you'll get to know how to spot it fairly quickly) and avoid it. This is a good clear guide. 
Photography: Jo Anne Butler and Gearoid Muldowney
Words : Jo Anne Butler