With the sun finally beginning to shine across Gwent, now is a better time than ever for readers to try their green-fingered hands at foraging.

Spring is a noted time for foragers to get out into the environment, with vegetables such as wild garlic (ransoms) expected to flourish.

Across the United Kingdom, various other plants, herbs and vegetables will be blooming but to the untrained eye they will go amiss.

Some people use their foraging knowledge and turn that into a profession, selling the goods they find to local restaurants or organising informational walks out into

Elsewhere people still treat it as a hobby but what is clear is that Monmouthshire is an ideal place to start foraging.

For Henry Ashby of Chepstow, foraging has been a lifelong pursuit, having started some 52 years ago.

He said: "I've been doing it for 52 years, since I lived in Yorkshire, where I was born and brought up.

"I started doing at as a profession around 10 years ago."

The former submariner regularly leads walks into Chepstow and surrounding areas, educating people on what exactly they can find potentially down the garden path.

Before getting your digits green you will need to thumb through some relevant foraging literature, with Food For Free by Richard Mabey recommended.

Mr Ashby also stressed that you must be confident of what you're picking before touching them, or be in the company of someone with implicit knowledge.

He added: "You also can't just go rummaging around without permission. Make sure you speak to landowners before heading out."

According to Mr Ashby, Chepstow is rich with wild and edible vegetables such as ramsoms and mushrooms.

Blackberries also grow in the area but it is recommended that you know your bush from your vine before heading out.

"If you have ever picked blackberries and eaten them whilst picking and you find a really tasty one, that's the vines." said Mr Ashby.

"Vine blackberries have their own residual acidity and high fruity taste so you don't need to add anything

"If you make a pie with bush blackberries every chef knows without the addition of apples or some lemon juice the pie becomes quite bland when cooked. “

Mr Ashby has formed relationships with several local restaurateurs, including Chris Harrod, chef patron of the Michelin-starred restaurant and inn The Whitebrook.

Much of the menu at The Whitebrook uses foraged ingredients, which the two showcase regularly at events such as the Abergavenny Food Festival.

Another Monmouthshire chef who has a keen interest in foraging is Simon King, the chef and owner of Restaurant 1861 in Abergavenny.

Mr King has been foraging for around 20 years, with his interest blossoming while he lived in Bristol.

According to Mr King, dandelions grow in mass quantities around his restaurant, making foraging them all the more easier.

In fact, dandelions have a place on the Spring Foraging Tasting menu that the restaurant offers at this time of year.

The menu offers a five professionally organised course with ingredients locally sourced from Abergavenny.

Alongside meals that include wild garlic and Elderflower, the selection includes a dandelion panna cotta with burdock sorbet.

Using foraged ingredients is something that Mr King believes lends more flavour to the dishes he provides to customers.

"The menu is a combination of all of things we have found while out and about," said Mr King.

"We could have easily opted for store bought items for the panna cotta but doing so wouldn't give me the same satisfaction."

Foraging at the1861 is very much a family affair, with Simon and his wife Kate eager to get their children involved while out on walks.

"Our two kids really enjoy it," said Mr King.

"Sometimes we play games like who can find the most mushrooms or who can find the rarest plant."

Wild herbs and plants are also rife in Torfaen where countryside access officer Fiona Ford often leads organised walks.

While not a professed forager, she has an insightful knowledge about various herbs that can be picked and used for more than just consumption.

According to Mrs Ford, nettles are a great starting point for amateur foragers due to its numerous uses.

Mrs Ford said that nettle has a rich history, with Bronze Age people apparently weaving the plants together to make cloth.

While many see it as a nuisance, it appears that the humble nettle was something of an ancient superfood.

"If you pick the fresh green tops they make a nice soup," said Mrs Ford.

"They can also be boiled into a tea or even a cordial, as well as a tonic to wash hair with due its richness in iron."

On the dandelion, Mrs Ford said they have more Vitamin A than carrots but don't expect to see it in your Sunday dinner anytime soon.

She said: "Dandelions are nice roasted, but they also carry several health benefits.

"When used as a substitute for tea or coffee they are a great natural remedy for water retention.

"They are a gentle and natural diuretic for the body."

Mrs Ford's advice for first-time foragers is to be weary of the environment, and the creatures that inhabit it.

"When you go out, be selective of what you pick," said Mrs Ford.

"Don't be greedy, as the local wildlife depend on the food as well."