Late Spring Mindful Foraging

As the daylight grows long and the blossoms thicken on the hedgerows, late spring in the UK opens a lush and vibrant chapter for foragers. Traditionally, this season is a time of vitality, passion, and fertility, both in the landscape and within ourselves. It is a threshold between the delicate rebirth of early spring and the full fiery abundance of summer.

Foraging now is about stepping lightly and intentionally into that space, gathering what nature offers while attuning our bodies and spirits to the energies around us.

Medicinal Wild Plants of Late Spring

1. Elderflower (Sambucus nigra)

Medicine: Elderflowers are revered for their cooling, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. They are often used in teas, syrups, and tinctures to treat hay fever, colds, and flu.

Contraindications: Raw elderflowers (and especially elderberries) contain small amounts of cyanogenic glycosides and should not be consumed in excess raw. Elder is also traditionally seen as a sacred tree, so sustainable and respectful harvesting is key.

Mindset: Elder is associated with protection and transition — perfect for Beltane’s threshold energy. Harvest with gratitude, asking permission of the Elder Mother spirit in folklore.

2. Cleavers (Galium aparine)

Medicine: This sticky herb is a potent lymphatic cleanser, supporting detoxification and skin health. A cold infusion of cleavers is a gentle spring tonic.

Contraindications: Generally very safe, but excessive use can lead to irritation of the urinary tract in sensitive individuals or for those with a history of urinary or kidney issues.

Mindset: Cleavers remind us to stick to what nourishes and supports us, both physically and emotionally. Their clinging nature can symbolise healthy attachments to community and the earth.

3. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) Blossoms

Medicine: Hawthorn is the quintessential heart medicine, both physically, improving cardiovascular function, and emotionally, easing heartbreak and anxiety. Tinctures and teas made from the flowers (later the berries) are deeply supportive.

Contraindications: Use with caution if taking heart medications like beta-blockers or blood pressure tablets. Always consult a healthcare professional first.

Mindset: Hawthorn hedges are boundary places, guardians between worlds. Beltane honours sacred unions and heart-connections — hawthorn invites us to open the heart wisely.

4. Nettle (Urtica dioica) - Late Flushes

Medicine: Late spring nettles, if still tender, are full of iron, minerals, and vitamins. They act as a blood builder, anti-inflammatory, and histamine modulator. Excellent in soups, teas, and tinctures.

Contraindications: May interact with diuretics, blood thinners, and blood pressure medications. Caution in pregnancy beyond culinary amounts.

Mindset: Nettle teaches strength through appropriate boundaries. Its sting reminds us that self-protection is also an act of generosity, preserving energy for true growth. Contrary to popular belief, Dock leaves (Rumex obtusifolius) are not the best cure for the sting of nettles. Use Plantain (Plantago major) or Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) for their anti-inflammatory benefits for greater effect.

Mindful Foraging

Late spring is not just a season of gathering; it’s a dance with nature’s exuberance. In the Celtic tradition, Beltane marked the beginning of the light half of the year — a time to celebrate the union of earth and sky, masculine and feminine, spirit and matter.

Foraging during this season is an invitation to:

·         Be Present: Tune into your senses - the hum of bees, the warmth of the sun, the smell of elderflowers and forage slowly and gratefully.

·         Harvest Ethically: Take only what you need, leave plenty for wildlife, and ask permission from the plant or land spirit if you feel called.

·         Align with Energies: Choose plants that match your body's needs and your soul’s work for this cycle. What vitality needs nurturing? What boundaries need strengthening?

Simple Late Spring Ritual for Foragers

A Beltane Wild Tonic

Gather a small amount of cleavers, hawthorn flowers, and elderflowers (with thanks and permission).

Place in a glass jar and cover with cool spring water.

Leave in the sunlight for a few hours to infuse with both plant medicine and solar energy.

Strain and sip mindfully, to celebrate life, vitality, and the wild abundance within and around you.

Late spring is the time when the Earth sings at full volume. Each plant offers not only a physical medicine but a story, a metaphor, a teaching for those who are willing to listen. As you walk the paths and hedgerows of the UK, basket in hand, remember that you are participating in an ancient dialogue between land and soul — one that the Celtic ancestors honoured in every blossom and bee.

Tread gently. Harvest wisely. Drink deeply of the wild medicine offered in love.

If you are feeling a little adventurous, try a Nettle Cake, it is delicious, although I am not promising it counts as one of your 5-7 a day!

Bright Green Vegan Stinging Nettle, Lemon & Vanilla Drizzle Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

·         50 g young stinging nettle leaves (blanched)

·         240 g plain flour

·         10 g (about 1 tbsp) good quality matcha green tea powder (you can omit this and add 10g additional plain flour, it gives a slightly less vibrant green coloured cake).

·         200 g caster sugar

·         1 tsp baking powder

·         ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

·         ¼ tsp salt

·         1 lemon (zest and juice separated, I doubled the zest as I like my cakes lemony)

·         1 tsp vanilla extract

·         250 ml unsweetened plant milk (oat, soy, or almond, I used fresh homemade almond milk)

·         75 ml light vegetable oil (sunflower or rapeseed)

·         1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar

·         For the drizzle:

·         75 g icing sugar

·         2–3 tbsp lemon juice

·         ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Prepare the nettles:

Wash and blanch the nettles for 30 seconds in boiling water, then immediately cool in ice water.

Drain, squeeze dry, and finely blend or chop the nettles.

2. Prepare the cake batter:

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a 20 cm round cake tin.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, matcha powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.

Stir in the caster sugar and lemon zest.

In another bowl or jug, whisk the plant milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and lemon juice together.

Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry until mostly combined.

Fold in the finely blended nettles — the batter should turn a lovely vibrant green.

3. Bake:

Pour into the prepared tin and level the top.

Bake for 35–40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a rack.

4. Make the drizzle:

Mix icing sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth but pourable.

5. Drizzle and decorate:

Poke small holes across the surface of the cake while warm.

Pour over the drizzle, allowing it to seep into the cake and lightly coat the top.

Optional Decoration Ideas

Sprinkle a little extra matcha powder on top for a deep green dusting.

Add a few fresh mint leaves or edible flowers like violas or pansies.

Top with thin slices of lemon for a fresh look.

You can also make a cake with vanilla frosting by using two 20cm cake tins and sandwiching them together with a vegan vanilla frosting.

Vegan Vanilla Frosting (Buttercream-Style)

Ingredients

·         150 g vegan butter (block-style, not spreadable like Flora Plant Butter)

·         300–350 g icing sugar (sifted)

·         1½ tsp vanilla extract

·         2–3 tbsp plant milk (oat, soy, or almond)

Instructions

1. Prepare the butter:

Allow the vegan butter to soften slightly at room temperature for about 10 minutes (it should be pliable but not melted).

2. Cream the butter:

Place the softened vegan butter in a large bowl.

Beat it with an electric mixer or stand mixer for 2–3 minutes until smooth, pale, and fluffy.

3. Add the icing sugar:

Gradually sift in the icing sugar about 100 g at a time, beating well between each addition.

(This prevents lumps and ensures a super light texture.)

4. Flavour and loosen:

Add the vanilla extract and 1 tbsp plant milk.

Beat again — if the frosting is too thick, add more plant milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.

5. Use immediately:

Spread generously over the fully cooled cake using a palette knife or the back of a spoon.

For a rustic look, make soft swirls and peaks with the knife.

Optional Lemon Twist

If you want the frosting to echo the lemon flavour of the cake:

Add 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice with the vanilla.

Adjust icing sugar slightly if it becomes too loose (add 1–2 tbsp more if needed).

Notes

Vegan butter blocks are firmer and better for frosting than the soft tub margarine.

If you want a very white frosting, use a very pale vegan butter and clear vanilla extract.

The frosting can be made ahead and stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days — just re-whip it before using!