A Foraging, Tasting & Discussion Session

Discover the beauty, flavour and creativity of edible wild flowers growing all around you. From spring dandelions to early-summer elderflowers and the heady scent of wild roses in full bloom, this session introduces the culinary potential of some of nature’s most striking and sustainable ingredients.
Whether you’re just starting your foraging journey or looking to deepen your understanding, this relaxed and practical workshop offers an inspiring way to connect with local, seasonal ingredients — and bring something truly special into your cooking.

The Session at a Glance

Wild flower identification, demonstrations and tasting
This session focuses on edible wild flowers as a single ingredient group, exploring how they can be used for flavour, colour and aroma. Through live demonstrations, tastings and open discussion, you’ll see how flowers can be infused, preserved and incorporated into simple, elegant dishes.

The atmosphere is informal and sociable, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions, share experiences and enjoy the session with a glass of wine or foraged tea.

What You’ll Explore

The session includes:

•    Confident identification of edible wild flowers, including dandelions, elderflowers and wild roses
•    Key safety and sustainability considerations when foraging
•    Five simple demonstration recipes using wild flowers
•    Tastings featuring infusions, petals and preserves
•    Discussion around sourcing, seasonality and creative use

About the Spotlight On… Series

This event forms part of our Spotlight on… series — short, seasonal sessions that take a deeper look at individual wild ingredients at their peak.
You may also be interested in other events in the series, including:

Edible Wild Flowers

Needles & Cones

Wild Berries

 Wild Seeds

About the Tutor

As seen on BBC Marcus Wareing: Tales from a Kitchen Garden, Colin Wheeler-James is recognised as a leading voice in cooking with foraged ingredients. He trains chefs internationally, encouraging a deeper, more creative approach to flavour, sustainability and whole-ingredient cooking. Exploring new flavours and unexpected uses is his forte.

Please note:

These events are dependent on the natural availability of ingredients. If timings shift due to weather or seasonal changes, we will contact you in advance to discuss options.

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FAQs

How is the day structured?

Demonstration-led with tasting and open discussion. Each session offers a focused introduction to a single ingredient and is ideal for beginners or those curious to learn more. No prior foraging or cookery knowledge required. Suitable for all abilities.

Can you cater for dietary requirements?

The key dietary details are noted at the top of each course listing, there may be other accommodations that we can make. Please let us know of ALL dietary requirements at the time of booking. We will always aim to accommodate where possible.

Can children attend this course?

Yes, children are welcome as full paying guests.

• Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a full paying parent or legal guardian, who remains responsible for them throughout the class.
• Young people aged 15–18 may attend without a parent or guardian. A completed parental consent form is required for all attendees aged 15–18. These courses are aimed at adults, and young people must be able to participate independently and behave appropriately without requiring additional supervision.

Please indicate ages at the time of booking.

Do I need to bring anything?

Everything needed for the course, is provided. Guests will be emailed approximately one week before the event with any final information, including whether there is anything specific to bring or any changes to arrangements.

Will we eat?

There will be tastings throughout the session, you will probably go home replete! Tea, coffee and biscuits are available throughout the session to help yourself.

Schedules are illustrative and timings/content may vary slightly. End times are given as a guide only, timings may vary slightly depending on the size and pace of the group and the season.

Is the course accessible?

Accessibility needs vary, and we’re always happy to discuss individual requirements in advance.

We have a portable ramp available and can allocate designated parking spaces where needed. Any adjustments are best discussed ahead of time so we can explore how to accommodate you wherever possible.

There can be a lot of standing on hard floors, please contact us if you are concerned about this. There may be adjustments that can be made.

Can I buy this course as a gift?

Our courses make great gifts.

When booking, you can also purchase:
•    a physical gift card sent by first class post
•    a physical gift card sent by second class post

Alternatively you can simply print and present the booking confirmation. If undecided, you can purchase a monetary-value gift voucher, which can be redeemed online against this or any other course.

What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy?

We operate a strict four-week cancellation policy. Cancellations or requests to reschedule within four weeks of the course date are not refundable. However, bookings are transferable and someone else can come in your place, we just ask that you let us know.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions of Booking for full details.

Can I be added to a waiting list for future events?

If a course is fully booked or the date doesn’t work for you, please email us and we’ll notify you when new dates or related events are released. Even better still, subscribe to our newsletter and we will send sporadic updates or follow us on social media @GroundUpCookery for top tips, foraging and fermentation news and event details.