For the last couple of months, I’ve been writing about wild plants that wouldn’t look out of place on your dining table at meal times. Even though the petals of the Wild Rose – or Dog Rose – do make a refreshing cup of tea, which is supposed to aid digestion, I thought I might try something different this time.

Historically, the use for Dog Rose petals has been mostly medicinal. But since you will no doubt be spotting this plant on your countryside dog walk and, like myself, wondering if you can eat it – the answer is yes, but I’ve yet to find a suitable culinary use to suit my taste buds. If you experiment and stumble upon something delicious, be sure to let me know via Twitter – @PottyWhite.

To make home-made rose water, ideal for restoring your skin’s PH balance after a thorough cleanse, put enough distilled water to cover your harvest into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Place the rose petals into the boiling water and lightly simmer for a good 15 minutes – don’t be afraid to cram the petals in! Strain them from the boiling liquid into warm, sterilised, airtight jars and quickly close the lid to create an airtight seal as it cools.

If you use cold jars they might crack from the sudden heat, so slowly warm them in the oven first to acclimatise them. If you’re the frugal sort, portion the liquid between small jars such as those which might have once contained salmon paste. Once cool, store in the fridge and they should keep for up to a month.

Each jar should be enough for a good body massage. That being said, I hope the better half doesn’t read this otherwise I will have locked myself into servitude for the foreseeable future!

If you’re not 100% sure that the plant you’re picking is safe for human consumption, don’t pick it. If you’re prone to food allergies, or pregnant, always seek medical advice before consuming anything foraged in the wild.