Elderberry
Elder in the garden, at harvest time and in old stories. Our articles explore growing this plant and the place it holds in cultural history.
Harvest
When are the berries ripe, and what matters at harvest time?
Growing elder
How do you plant and prune elderberry in your own garden?
History & tradition
What role did elderberry play in ancient sources and in the customs of different cultures?
The Holler-Frau: Elder in European Folk Belief
From the Danish Hyldemoer to the English Old Lady: stories of a figure living in the elder, and what can be said about her connection to Frau Holle.
Elder in Antiquity: what Dioscorides and Pliny actually write
What do Dioscorides and Pliny write about elder? A look at the ancient texts and the question of which species each passage describes.
Explore elder a little further
The articles above cover growing, the berry harvest and folklore. Here you can follow the wider pattern of the year or move into the kitchen with a preparation made from the flowers.
How does it fit into the year?
The yearly overview follows elder and rosehip from the first shoots to winter rest, complementing the individual growing and harvest articles.
The Round of the Year: Elder and Rosehip Through the SeasonsTaking the flowers into the kitchen?
The elderflower cordial recipe gives the ingredients and method. It uses flowers, rather than elderberries.
Elderflower cordial (the way we make it)