GREEN SCENE

many things and great for boosting the immune system through the cold winter months, as they contain a large amount of vitamin C.

I’m guessing it would also be a good thing to have in the cupboard in the current Covid-19 conditions.

Traditionally the hips are boiled with sugar and water, but The Woodland Trust suggests this “raw” syrup recipe for maximum goodness and flavour.

It is described as “the best Turkish Delight you ever had, crossed with the tang of tropical fruits like mango and lychee. And extremely good for you!”

To make it, give your harvested rosehips a good rinse under the tap and pat them dry. Use a knife to trim the ends and then make a few scores on each hip or pierce them with a fork.

Sterilise and dry a sealable jar and place a layer of caster or granulated sugar on the bottom, then a layer of hips. Keep layering hips and sugar until you run out of hips or the jar is full. Try to fill the spaces between the hips with sugar.

Seal the jar and put it by a sunny (or warm) window for a couple of weeks, or up to a couple of months, turning it from time to time.

The sugar will draw the liquid from the rosehips and form syrup. Strain the syrup through a fine cloth like muslin as rosehips contain hairs, which cause irritation. Seal the syrup in sterilised bottles and keep in the fridge.

The high sugar content should stop bacteria from taking hold.

Alternatively, follow the traditional boiled method, which will mean you have your syrup ready much quicker.

There are numerous recipes on the internet but I particularly like The River Cottage one. www.rivercottage.net/recipes/rosehip-syrup

Of course, when collecting any wild fruits please ensure that your bounty is properly identified, is safe to ingest, and has not been sprayed with chemicals.