Plum blossom tea and flower pancakes.
In America, Australia, New Zealand and the UK, blackberries are common in the wild and in gardens. (Americans say yard for gardens and can berry for blackberry and raspberry.)
UK Fruit - Blackberries
In the UK in summer we used to go blackberry picking in summer and my relatives would make apple and blackberry crumble.
With populations increasing and wild flowers dwindling, as well as imported insects and diseases harming local wildlife, you may find restrictions on picking fruit and flowers and carrying it home or overseas.
UK Garden Plans (alphabetically)
Apples are the most successful fruit tree for me.
Dandelions are also well known. We tried them once, but were not overwhelmed.
Mint also grows well and comes in many flavours.
Nettles, surprise, surprise, are edible. Nearby dock leaves soothe stings.
Grapes We have also grown vines. They needed to be covered with netting to keep off the birds.
Rosemary grows rampantly and is good for flavouring.
France - Mushrooms
In France collecting mushrooms in summer is a much more organized activity, and the chemists (Americans say pharmacies0 have charts and books to identify which mushrooms are safe to eat.
Flowers, Fruit and Seeds
What do you already know from the supermarket? Sunflower seeds.
Singapore
Aloe vera grows well. Looks like a spiky cactus. tasteless. Decorative, but not worth the effort for eating.
Cashew nuts, alas, are encased in an abrasive white liquid.
Coconut
Don't sit under a coconut tree. You need a strong and determined man to crack one open.
Limes (look like miniature oranges). You see them outside public buildings and hotels on festivals. I would never pick one off somebody else's tree. But if I saw one on the ground I would pick it up. We used ours to make marmalade.
Camping & Survival
I think it is handy to know which plants are edible and which are unsafe to eat, as well as which might sting. You might go camping. You could be stranded on a hike.
One girl survived a plane crash, climbed down a mountain, found food and fresh water, and followed the river until she found friendly locals able to transport her to safety.
For my own information I have compiled these notes. I suggest that you don't take my second hand knowledge as gospel, but use it as a jumping off point to do your won research as to what is safe and useful in your area and any places to which you might travel.
A camping shop will sell you all kinds of camping gear. My husband travels with a small coffee maker.
Emergency Bag
The Japanese live on an island (more than one) prone to earthquakes. They keep an emergency bag by the door containing documentation, money, ID, medical kit, spare clothes, water and food and useful names and addresses.
For camping you might want some or all of the following:
A Swiss army knife.
A similar knife containing a knife and fork.
Gauze. A tiny sewing kit containing round-ended scissors.
Micropore waterproof tape and gauze into various sizes to make plasters.
A mobile phone. Multi-language translator.
Paper and online ID.
Water bottle.
Spare underwear.
Wooden chopsticks.
Compressed food.
Map of local area. Map of railway and country.
Directions to airport, doctor, ferry, hospital.
Useful Websites
Useful guide to edible flowers
3 Ways to Add Fresh Flowers to a Cake - wikiHow
15 Best Survival Books If You Want To Be MacGyver (skilledsurvival.com)
The Pyramid of Wilderness Survival Food (primalsurvivor.net)
About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a British author who has lived in the USA.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.
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