The Waning of the Light

The light has shifted, the days are cooler, and mist and rain are beginning to replace the sun and warmth of July. The summer is waning. But some beautiful wildflowers and wild fruits are now arising in the hedgerows, including Harebell, Fireweed, Yarrow, Devil's Bit Scabious and a plethora of ripening Blackberries. Elder berries and Wild Rose hips will soon be ready for gathering - they are both valuable ingredients for winter cough syrups and make delicious, vitamin-rich jellies or jams. We are seed collecting also, beginning with English Bluebell - their papery seedcasings are filled with minute shining black seeds. This beautiful native wildflower is becoming scarce due to the prolific nature of the imported Spanish Bluebell and the resulting hybrids, so we'll be spreading its seeds throughout the coming weeks.

We've also collected the seeds of Devil's Bit Scabious and are searching for those of Ragged Robin - both populations are in decline due to habitat loss, mainly stemming from modern agricultural practices and the draining of wetland environments. We've collected and sown seeds from Jack-by-the-hedge, also known as Hedge Garlic and Jack-in-the-bush, in a corner of our garden - its leaves and young flowerheads have a mild garlic flavour and can be added to salads or sandwiches or made into pesto. I will be posting more on this plant soon.

In the garden, the courgettes, or zucchinis, were an epiphany for us this year - such generous and prolific plants.

We grew four plants in large pots and they've given us about two dozen courgettes so far. We pick them when they are about 3 -4 inches in length. We discovered a wonderful recipe for zucchini bread (a cake really due to its sweetness) - the best we've ever tasted - and we've made several beautiful loaves with our own lovely produce plus as many local, organic ingredients as possible. Here's the recipe:

Courgette/Zucchini Bread Recipe

(Please note: We're using British measurements)

2 cups/300 gr plain unbleached organic flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice or ginger
1 cup/150 gr organic sugar
2 large free range eggs, beaten
100 ml organic rapeseed or sunflower oil
250 gr of grated courgettes, with the skin left on
1/2 lemon, juiced
Dash of agave or honey
(You could also include 3/4 cup walnuts, and/or 1tsp organic vanilla extract.)

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Pre-heat the oven to 150C/300F. Grease and flour a 9 X 5 inch loaf tin. (Alternately you can grease and then line with baking paper).

Sift the flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and spices into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar.

Beat the eggs and rapeseed oil (plus vanilla extract if you're using it) together. Add the grated courgettes and lemon juice, then mix.

Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture, mixing until well combined. Stir in the walnuts if you're using them and add honey or agave to taste. 

Bake in the heated oven for 55 min - 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes or so before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Delicious toasted and served warm with some cold butter, or with homemade jam.


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Botanical names of wildflowers used in this post:

Devil's Bit Scabious; Succisa pratensis
Elder; Sambucus nigra
English (or Common Bluebell); Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Fireweed (or Rosebay Willow Herb); Chamerion (or Epilobium) angustifolium
Jack-by-the-hedge (or Hedge Garlic; Jack-in-the-bush); Alliaria petiolata
Harebell; Campanula rotundifolia
Ragged Robin; Lychnis flos-cuculi
Rowan; Sorbus aucuparia
Wild Rose (or Dog-rose); Rosa canina
Yarrow; Achillia millefolium