Spring

Its official .. spring is in the air!

Venturing out today, we gave our lady elder a libation of nettle infusion to wish her well for the coming season. She is just starting to sprout buds into leaflets, so magical to see.

Pleased to see big fat healthy looking ladybirds all over the garden, particularly as the new growth on the elder was covered in aphids last year all spring/summer (I hosed them off each morning with a high power jet had a little chat and a stroke while I was at it .. nice to have that daily contact, but nicer to see hoardes of ladybirdies munching away instead!)

Which reminds me, I took a photo last autumn which I didn't get around to posting.. I had gone outside to have a little tidy up and was tying up all my tall-stemmed seed headed herbs into the fence, when I found this little ladybird party, all huddled inside an evening primrose leaf.

It made me really careful about not disturbing any of the big overgrown plants and aside from just securing things to the fence against the wind, I left everything be. So glad I did! Today I found my little ladybird friends still intact inside their (now dried out) leafy home. In fact, several little huddles on the evening primrose and one on a sage leaf. Think because the shape of these long leaves is such that they naturally curl, providing a little handy crevice for hibernating creatures. Hurray!

Elderflower Cordial

Just wanted to share this link to an Elderflower Cordial recipe which I was very kindly sent by Naturewitch... I know some of you out there will like to see it too.

I now have my very own elder in my herb garden, a young tree which obligingly self-seeded itself into a tub.. you can imagine how thrilled I am! It is small enough that I think it has a good few years before it becomes too large for the roof garden, and it is covered with little flowerbuds. Many of the local elder trees are already in bloom, so I'm looking forward to seeing the first blossom on the Hedgewitch tree sometime soon.

Elder

The Elder (Sambucus niger) has been referred to as ‘the medicine chest of the people’ and revered down the ages for its healing abilities. Superstitions around placating the Elder Mother, such as asking her permission before cutting a branch, and against removing Elder trees may very well stem from this usefulness. The Latin name is from the Greek ‘sambuke’ meaning ‘musical pipe’, as the shoots were traditionally hollowed out to be used in this fashion.

There is so much folk-lore surrounding the elder that it would be difficult to even summarise it here, but here is a late 17th century example. Elder leaves were gathered on the last day of April and affixed to doors and windows. This is very interesting as elder leaves are insecticidal .. so buried in the folk belief that the plant would deter ‘evil spirits’ is a practical measure to prevent insects and the bacteria they carry entering the home.

This insecticidal property can be utilised by gardeners: a decoction of young leaves sprinkled over delicate plants and flower buds is supposed to keep off aphids and caterpillars. An infusion of the leaves can also be used as an insect-repellent by dabbing it about the person to prevent being bitten by midges and the like.

All parts of the elder have medicinal properties, though the flowers are favoured nowadays. The flowers and fruits are used internally for colds, catarrh, flu and fever and the bark for constipation and arthritis. Externally, the leaves or bark will help minor burns and chilblains, while the flowers treat inflamed skin, mouth ulcers and minor injuries.

The are many ways in which elder can be used in the domestic setting: a small muslin bag of elderflowers in the bath is suggested for irritability of the skin and nerves and the ointment (traditionally made from equal parts of elderflowers and lard) is an old remedy for chapped hands and chilblains. Elderflower tea is considered ‘spring medicine’ and is taken every morning before breakfast for some weeks as a blood purifier. It also effective if taken at the onset of flu, especially if combined with yarrow and peppermint.

A bitter, pungent, cooling herb which lowers fever, reduces inflammation, soothes irritation and has diuretic and anti-catarrhal effects. The leaves are insecticidal, antiseptic and healing.


Flowers June to July

Pick the leaves in the summer and use fresh. Strip the bark in late winter (before new leaves appear) and dry for decoctions. Collect fully open flowerheads and dry whole, then strip the flowers.



CAUTION: The leaves and berries are harmful if eaten.

PLEASE NOTE: These notes on the history and use of herbs have been compiled for general interest and are not intended as medical advice, for which you should consult a professional herbalist.

BIBLIOGRAPY:
‘Herbs and Healing Plants of Britain and Europe’ Dieter Podlech (1987)
'A Modern Herbal' Mrs M. Grieve FRHS ed. Mrs C. F. Leyel (1973)
'The Herb Society's Complete Medicinal Herbal' Penelope Ody MNIMH (1993)
'RHS Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses' Deni Brown (2002)