Even if it wasn’t edible sea kale would still be my favourite plant. Its alien-looking purple shoots, sculpturesque leaves and clouds of nodding flowers are works of high art to intoxicate the senses and marvel the mind. As luck would have it, it also happens to be absolutely delicious, providing some sort of food for most of the year.

Reedmace is a foragers dream as it is one of the few wild plants that provide food all year long and is easily identified by its distinctive chocolate-brown cigar shaped seed heads. They grow in shallow loch sides and slow flowing water.

Sea Radish (Raphanus maritimus) can provide a steady supply of tasty and free greens throughout the year. It thrives on poor ground, so keep your eye on sandy soil, shaley beaches and espepecially seaside road verges…

My top 10’s for: gourmet wild foods, tasty weeds, urban wild foods, most fun to harvest, best for beginners and most poisonous species…

Most people can easily recognise mussels, but not many harvest and eat them from the wild. This is largely due to fears over pollution and poisoning. While it is true that all filter feeders should be treated with caution, a little care and effort will minimise the risk and allow you to enjoy this superb wild food.