Frosty Nettles...

28 October 2010

I took these photos of nettles covered in frost on Monday morning...  most of the nettles are dying back now but I did spot a few young plants amongst the grass in the verge...

Apart from the fact that they can sting... I really love nettles... brilliant for butterflies (apparently although I cannot remember the last time I saw a caterpillar on the small nettle patch in our garden... on the other hand they seem happy to clear some of the other plants of every single leaf...)

Afterall no one can deny that they are really truly beautiful and for once we have a plant which can actually take care of itself...  pretty impressive really...

I also remember my mum making nettle soup sometimes when we were children... when picking it is just a matter of picking them firmly low on the stalk and avoiding the edge of the leaves... 

best picked when young in the Spring...  and helps to wear gloves...

Although having said this it is probably best to have a couple of docken leaves to hand just in case of a sting...