June: Elder
Early Summer's Delight
Sambucus
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Adoxaceae
Genus: Sambucus
habitat: sunny open space
distribution: throughout British Isles
All those chilly spring days held the plant growing, but eventually, the leaves and flowers burst with colours.
While the waterfall-like of Hawthorn's white flowers is now receding, the elder's white flowers are taking over.
Elder likes a lot of sun light, at hedgerows, around and in meadows, parks and gardens. The flower head is a cluster of tiny flowers, and has pleasantly sweet scent. The leaves of five leaflets are pinnate and toothed, similar to ash leaves.
My teenage son has been keeping an eye on the elder bushes. I've been also looking for the white flowers on the trees. Surprisingly they are seen almost everywhere, on roadsides, wastelands, in parks, someone's gardens, except for our gardens (sadly).
Anyway he's looking forward to make his own elder flower cordial this season of every year because the cordial is his favourite summer drink. (Of course, he kindly offers us to share his cordial.)
Yesterday we went for a walk in a warm breezy evening. Some clusters of white flower already started blooming in the bush. He sniffed at the flower, and said 'It smells sweet, but not fully enough. We should wait for a little while until they bloom more.' Yes, the natural perfume of the flower is the key to the cordial.
When the flower reaches full in bloom, he and I go to collect the creamy white fragrant flower heads. (You can look at the previous dairy about elder flower cordial.) In the end of foraging, we are powdered with the cream yellow pollen. But it's fine because it makes the cordial champagne gold, which is nice when we pour the sparkling water onto the syrup in a clear glass. It looks just like a glass of champagne, really a refreshing summer drink.
Today's Guardian's weekend magazine has Yotam Ottolenghi's elderflower's dessert of tempura (fritter) and ice cream. Ice cream with elderflower fragrant (sirup is used) sounds very tempting.
The Song of The Elder Fairy
When the days have grown in length,
When the sun has greater power,
Shining in his noonday strength;
When the Elder Tree's in flower,
When each shady kind of place
By the stream and up the lane,
Shows its mass of creamy lace -
Summer's really come again!
Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies of the Trees(Cicely Mary Barker, The Complete Book of the Flower-Fairies, Warne, 2002)
Sambucus
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Adoxaceae
Genus: Sambucus
habitat: sunny open space
distribution: throughout British Isles
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Adoxaceae
Genus: Sambucus
habitat: sunny open space
distribution: throughout British Isles
All those chilly spring days held the plant growing, but eventually, the leaves and flowers burst with colours.
While the waterfall-like of Hawthorn's white flowers is now receding, the elder's white flowers are taking over.
Elder likes a lot of sun light, at hedgerows, around and in meadows, parks and gardens. The flower head is a cluster of tiny flowers, and has pleasantly sweet scent. The leaves of five leaflets are pinnate and toothed, similar to ash leaves.
My teenage son has been keeping an eye on the elder bushes. I've been also looking for the white flowers on the trees. Surprisingly they are seen almost everywhere, on roadsides, wastelands, in parks, someone's gardens, except for our gardens (sadly).
Anyway he's looking forward to make his own elder flower cordial this season of every year because the cordial is his favourite summer drink. (Of course, he kindly offers us to share his cordial.)
Yesterday we went for a walk in a warm breezy evening. Some clusters of white flower already started blooming in the bush. He sniffed at the flower, and said 'It smells sweet, but not fully enough. We should wait for a little while until they bloom more.' Yes, the natural perfume of the flower is the key to the cordial.
When the flower reaches full in bloom, he and I go to collect the creamy white fragrant flower heads. (You can look at the previous dairy about elder flower cordial.) In the end of foraging, we are powdered with the cream yellow pollen. But it's fine because it makes the cordial champagne gold, which is nice when we pour the sparkling water onto the syrup in a clear glass. It looks just like a glass of champagne, really a refreshing summer drink.
Today's Guardian's weekend magazine has Yotam Ottolenghi's elderflower's dessert of tempura (fritter) and ice cream. Ice cream with elderflower fragrant (sirup is used) sounds very tempting.
Elder likes a lot of sun light, at hedgerows, around and in meadows, parks and gardens. The flower head is a cluster of tiny flowers, and has pleasantly sweet scent. The leaves of five leaflets are pinnate and toothed, similar to ash leaves.
My teenage son has been keeping an eye on the elder bushes. I've been also looking for the white flowers on the trees. Surprisingly they are seen almost everywhere, on roadsides, wastelands, in parks, someone's gardens, except for our gardens (sadly).
Anyway he's looking forward to make his own elder flower cordial this season of every year because the cordial is his favourite summer drink. (Of course, he kindly offers us to share his cordial.)
Yesterday we went for a walk in a warm breezy evening. Some clusters of white flower already started blooming in the bush. He sniffed at the flower, and said 'It smells sweet, but not fully enough. We should wait for a little while until they bloom more.' Yes, the natural perfume of the flower is the key to the cordial.
When the flower reaches full in bloom, he and I go to collect the creamy white fragrant flower heads. (You can look at the previous dairy about elder flower cordial.) In the end of foraging, we are powdered with the cream yellow pollen. But it's fine because it makes the cordial champagne gold, which is nice when we pour the sparkling water onto the syrup in a clear glass. It looks just like a glass of champagne, really a refreshing summer drink.
Today's Guardian's weekend magazine has Yotam Ottolenghi's elderflower's dessert of tempura (fritter) and ice cream. Ice cream with elderflower fragrant (sirup is used) sounds very tempting.
The Song of The Elder Fairy
When the days have grown in length,
When the sun has greater power,
Shining in his noonday strength;
When the Elder Tree's in flower,
When each shady kind of place
By the stream and up the lane,
Shows its mass of creamy lace -
Summer's really come again!
Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies of the Trees(Cicely Mary Barker, The Complete Book of the Flower-Fairies, Warne, 2002)
