The theme for Jude’s garden challenge this month is wild flowers.

“This month I want to see native wild flowers found in the hedgerows, woodlands, farmland, meadows, by the coast, up a mountain, on the heath and even in your own garden. Basically those plants that haven’t been planted, but occur naturally, although specifically planted wild flower meadows can be included. Wild flowers provide food for humans and wildlife and are usually hardy, resilient and well adapted to the climate and soils, and yes sadly often referred to as weeds.”

Wild flowers are actually my favourites and I have lots of photos of them but will need to dig them up. I thought I’d start off with some photos of Bärlauch (Allium ursinum) I took in May three years ago in a park in Putbus on the isle of Rügen in north Germany. In English Bärlauch is called ramsons, wild garlic, bear leek, bears garlic, and various other names. Both bears and wild boars like digging up the bulbs to eat, hence the name. Humans also like eating them, and at this time of year you will find some German restaurants serving Bärlauch pesto. The leaves, flowers and bulbs are all edible and taste a bit like chives. The plant is native to Europe and is considered an indicator of ancient woodland. Of course, when I first saw them in Putbus I didn’t know any of this and thought they were just beautiful wildflowers. When I returned to Berlin and showed a friend the photos, she exclaimed excitedly that it was Bärlauch, and asked where I had found so much of it. Well, you live and learn!