Seasonal Foraging, Hedgerow — 'Native Circles' Birchwood Wheel

A stunning calendar print of an original pen drawing by artist Emily Robyn Archer on high-quality recycled paper mounted onto a circular Birchwood board.

This wheel is a great starting point for anyone new to foraging wild food or a welcome keepsake for a seasoned forager. Turn the wheel each month to see which wild edible plants are in season in our Irish hedgerows. 

It’s one of life’s great pleasures to identify, pick and eat food from the wild. Throughout the year, our hedgerows are bursting with growth — much of it edible and delicious. I know it can be intimidating to start foraging, but you may be surprised to know more edible plants than you think. This print is designed to remind foragers of the seasonal staples in the hedgerows, like nettle, dandelion, blackberry and elderflower — plants we may know, but maybe don’t consider in time to enjoy. 

Take a closer look

I painted this wheel during a rolling summer storm. I could feel the heaviness of rain in the air and thought that the thirsty plants must relish it. That's why you can see blue watercolour marks softening the background of the illustrations. 

In the very centre of the circle, you'll see a small dandelion motif. Its roots reach down into the earth while it sprouts a dome above the ground of green leaves, yellow buds and flowers, and the white globe of a seed head. I included a dandelion here because it represents so much of what I want to share with this print; that foraging can be easy, accessible, and rewarding for all of us. The dandelion is an incredibly helpful plant — you can usually find a dandelion most times of the year, and all parts of a dandelion are edible. Most of us are familiar with dandelions; you can find them in towns, cities and the countryside. The dandelion and all its health benefits are accessible to all of us. If you're feeling a nudge to engage with wild plants, the dandelion is a great one to start with. 

Circling the dandelion in the centre, you'll see a ring of the four seasons, followed by the Celtic wheel of the year, and then a further ring with each month of the year. There's an illustration of an edible plant from our Irish hedgerows for each month, along with a brief note about each plant. 

While there are so many different plants available to forage each month, it's helpful to start with some basics that you may already recognise. Starting with these familiar plants will help new foragers feel more confident, and seasoned foragers will appreciate the reminders of old favourites that you won't want to miss. 

With practice, you'll get to know each of these useful plants and learn how they can enhance your seasons. For me, the heady scent of Elderflower blooms reminds me of June, and the taste of homemade elderflower cordial transports me to the height of summer. And nothing compares to that first basketful of fresh wild garlic picked straight from the woodland floor in February. 

Enjoy discovering these twelve foraging favourites and creating your own seasonal traditions with them. 

If you're excited to dive deeper into foraging, check out the seasonal foraging notebook [link].