Monday 29 May 2017

Elderflower

The elderflower is at its peak beauty at the moment.  Frothy flower heads illuminating the night garden.

Soon the flowers will be replaced by jewel coloured berries.  The birds will have a feast on them.

On the ground, they resemble wedding confetti - so much preferable to dried rice or paper cut outs.

8 comments:

  1. Lovely photos Simone. Makes me think of making elderflower cordial but then I like to leave some blossom to become berries for elderberry syrup for winter coughs and colds and of course some for the birds too! Hope you are having a peaceful restful and relaxing weekend?

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  2. When we purchased our property I was introduced to elderberries for the first time. There were many plants growing around the old barn. When we put that barn to rest we lost all of the elderberries and I had long intended to replace them. This spring I purchased two varieties which arrived bare root. They are now in large tubs leafing out quite heartily. They will go in the ground next to the silo in memory of the old barn that stood there.
    Do you ever harvest the flowers for elderflower tea? Do you harvest the berries for medicinal uses? Herbalists around here sell many products from elderberry bushes. I hope to one day.
    Love your photos and the idea of wedding confetti. Lovely.

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  3. Hi Sharon - no I haven't used them in recipes or for medicinal purposes. I know that the flowers and berries have to be cooked and many people make elderflower cordial or use the berries to make elderberry juice to stave off colds in the winter and boost the immune system. All other parts of the plant - bark, leaves, branches are poisonous. I just leave the berries to the birds. :)

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  4. I just noticed this past weekend how the elderflowers are replacing the hawthorn blossom, always sad to see the mayflower go though as my ideal world it would be forever May!

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  5. Lovely photos, I do love elderflower cordial but like you leave the berries for the birds. We have a very small elderflower growing amongst the trees from next door's side and it only has about a dosen flowers on it:)

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  6. I love these flowers!! I don't think I have ever seen them before. So very pretty!! xx

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  7. Our favorite local eatery has a cocktail called an Elder Fashioned (I'm guessing, inspired by an "old fashioned"?)
    It's made with bulleit bourbon, st. germaine, angostura, orange
    Our grown daughters enjoy it when they come to visit.

    They really are such lovely flowers!

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  8. Such a delicate flower.
    I do like a glass of elderflower cordial in the summer.
    Lisa x

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