In a garden of Nasturtiums it's always spring. In Melbourne, they can bloom all year round; an ever-present cascade of reds, yellows, and oranges. Their leaves look like rounded lily pads, worthy of being in a fairy tale. On a rainy day, you can imagine the garden bugs huddled underneath, using them like a tiny umbrella. And of course they are delicious. Nasturtium leaves have a distinct wasabi-watercress flavour. The flowers have milder notes of sugar and pepper, and the s

Mushrooming is usually a treasure hunt in the forest. You wander through the wilderness, taking in every detail, until you uncover a whole bounty of mushrooms hiding beneath leaf litter. Ah, the excitement of a haul! A basket overflowing with abundance, enough to host the most glorious dinner party. But foraging for Porcini isn't like this. They're so elusive in Victoria, there's a one in a million shot you'll stumble upon one. Expect a sad, empty basket. The lucky few who ha

I just love flowers. I'll never pass by without stopping to enjoy them. Designed for pollinators, I wonder if bees also stop to appreciate their beauty? I like to think so. A moment of admiration as they hover above; deciding on the prettiest flower to settle on. Borage, Borago officinalis, is spectacular. A herb of blue stars, twinkling as they sway in the breeze. But Borage isn't just for admiring. It's also for eating. It tastes like cucumber with a hint of shellfish. The

July is a majestic season for fungi. The forest is alive with all sorts of mushies. Squishy little jellies, polka-dot toadstools and exploding puffballs. There's the delicious and the deadly, medicinal and magic. Nature is just amazing.