If there's one distinctive feature of the British countryside it has to be the hedgerow. In fact hedgerows are such an established part of our landscape that sometimes we take them for granted. But take a closer look & the diversity & variety of plant species that form them is little short of wondrous. & it is not only plant life that thrives in abundance in the hedgerow
- native wild animals birds & insects are protected & nourished by them. We know that at least 65 species of birds live in our hedgerows & that they are crucial to the survival of moths bats & dormice. Hedgerows can provide a great fund of fresh wild food for us too & this is partly what this book is about. In The Hedgerow Handbook" Adele Nozedar reintroduces the wild & natural hedgerow ingredients that our grandmothers used on a regular basis
- but gives them a fresh & contemporary twist. From angelica to ash & bird cherry to borage from pineapple weed to plantain & wild garlic to wimberries each entry is accompanied by an exquisite full colour illustration to help you identify each plant or flower along with its history & folklore & culinary & medicinal uses. You won't find yet another recipe for blackberry pie nor nettle soup here however
- this is not your run-of-the mill hedgerow book. Instead why not try Adele's Spicy Ash Key Pickle her Beechnut Turron Red Clover Lemonade or Wild Raspberry Vodka? The " Hedgerow Handbook" is much more than a foraging book
- it is an inspiration & a trigger for a new experience of our countryside & for memories: of a summer filled with hot sunny days; or of the time you got drenched in a sudden rain shower miles away from the warmth & dryness of your car or home which made those blackberry muffins even more enjoyable."