Elderflowers and Cherries but a Lack of Plums

Elderflowers are late this year by about a month, but they are blooming with vengeance now.

The time is right to make Elderflower Cordial and Elderflower Champagne. The recipes are very simple but always use pressure safe bottles for the fizzy stuff or you might get a nasty surprise.

The poor Cherry Plums, Damsons etc. have taken something of a hit during the cold windy Spring. They were very abundant last year but as far as I can see they are nowhere near as many in the hedgerows this season.

Fortunately, the Cherries, that had a bad time last year due to the excessive rainfall, look like they are doing quite well; I have already seen red ones in the trees. Apart from the fact that something seems to be eating the tops of the canopies, we could probably organise our first Picknik of the year very soon.

I think that, on the whole, the late spring will help and it should be a good year for fruit.