This woodland park is as scenic as it is bountiful. A great abundance of edible and medicinal wild plants and mushrooms makes Montgomery Pinetum Park a great venue for early summer foraging.

Common edible "weeds" such as field garlic, Asiatic dayflower, wood sorrel, and sheep sorrel grow in sunny areas throughout.

The trail sides are full of jewelweed, sassafras and black birch trees, while rocky slopes provide mullein and northern bayberry leaves.

Although the leaves are long dead, the bulbs of ramps (wild leeks), which should be flowering, are at their best. They're rampant in the woods, and the "Wildman" will encourage everyone to "take a leek!"

This is an excellent park for summer mushrooms, especially if it's rained beforehand. We'll be on the lookout for gigantic chicken mushrooms and black-staining polypores, as well as savory boletes.