#143 Help with wild food foraging
I've identified some rosemary in Hyde Park. Walking back to the office from lunch, I spied a woman picking a small sprig of rosemary from the garden.
Has anyone else dared pick a decorative garden-bed herb? The bushes I spotted are very large and healthy plants, and not many people would recognise it or think to carry home a little sprig, so I think it would be alright. What do you think?
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Comments (12)
What a brilliant idea! There must be loads of herbs around the city/Surry Hills/Darlinghurst area which people can pick on their way home. I wonder what else is out there...?
Hmmm ... It could run afoul of the tragedy of the commons and result in the planst being depleted .. however i think if a small group of folks who considered whether the bush was looking healthy did this it would be just fine. Next step: Convincing council to grow more edibles in our parks.
Rosemary is a herb associated with memory. People wear a sprig of it on their lapel on ANZAC day as a sign of remembrance - that'd be why it's planted near the war memorial.
Possibly that woman was picking it to carry in memory of a fallen friend or family member? Sometimes people place particular value on where the sprig was picked (e.g. the Canberra War Memorial), and strike the cutting when they get home to grow their own little piece of remembrance.
I think you'd be fine to pick rosemary there, whether it's for culinary or ceremonial use. It regrows quickly. If the bushes start to look ratty then stop, but really, the fact that they're large and healthy means you aren't going to hurt them.
Hi Kate
Darren is right that the rosemary is associated with ANZAC day and thus has significance for returned service people, their families and for our national history.
There is plenty of opportunistic harvesting opportunities in our city parks and bushland, however, both exotic plants and bush foods. Some time ago I produced an article on urban gleaning: http://pacific-edge.info/?p=349
I did this last week in southern England. Am hoping to propogate from the cuttings in my garden. It will go nicely with the parsley, mint and rocket already growing.
We picked some lavender from outside a kindergarten (because we needed it for a homemade icecream recipe) then felt guilty afterwards!
My family and I have picked wild grape leaves from the community park and lake in a suburb of Montreal. We also pick dandelion greens - wherever we see them. Nothing compares to fresh greens and herbs. I say go for it!
I live close to this and have availed myself of a sprig or two on a few occasions (potato, olive and rosemary pizzza being one of my favioursite easy meals). The Hyde Park gardeners do a great job and this little gift is a really nice touch (and appropriate to the war memorial). There are masses of very healthy rosemary bushes there and my little borrowings go unnoticed - and are much appreciated.
I have not snitched herbs from parks though I have taken seeds for some plants and been able to propagate a few. What has been great this year in the abundance of citrus. I have two boxes of seville oranges which are from a local backyard. Let me know if anyone is interested taking some. They are perfect for home-made marmalade.
I have pinched a bit in my time as it is my favorite herb. Also in (I think) somewhere near Leicchardt, maybe Lilyfield or even Annadale, my friends and I noticed a Lychee tree growing on the sidewalk (presumably by the council?) and found great enjoyment in a few Lychees on our walk!!
P.S. There are other rosemary bushes located around the city, for instance, (and again I am unsure of the exact street) Parallel to where the old Sega building was if you are heading towards Chinatown although these are a tad sorry looking at times. Good Luck!!
I heard about an installation art student at COFA planting herbs all over newtown...so keep an eye out!
I teach bush tucker and medicine including useful edible and medicinal Introduced species. I'ts great that people are getting into this. I am based between Sydney and Newcastle on the Central Coast. My email is jakecassar@mail .com
Cheers
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