FOUNDER OF HEN CORNER Sara Ward

This is the ideal time of year to make elderflower cordial. The flowers are just beginning to open, guaranteeing the maximum amount of fragrant nectar. With their sweetly scented blooms and deep purple fruits, the flowers represent the very essence of summer. I like drinking the cordial chilled with sparkling water, and, if I prepare it carefully (see recipe overleaf ), I can usually make enough to last the year ahead.

As May comes around, I monitor the plant every day. In the morning, I look out onto my neighbour’s garden to see if their elder tree is blossoming. Once the creamywhite flowers start to unfurl, I go hunting for trees in nearby parks. This year, however, I might not have to go very far, as a couple of young elder trees seem to have sprouted at the end of my own garden, too.

Elder trees can grow up to 15 metres and live for about 60 years, so, once you’ve found a local supply, you could be set for

Sara and her family have transformed the garden of their Victorian terrace house into a mini smallholding, complete with 24 hens, three colonies of bees, a kitchen garden and a micro-bakery (hencorner.com)

LOCATION

Brentford, west London

PLOT SIZE

475 square metres

EXPERIENCE

Sara started farming in her garden in 2007 with vegetables, later followed by hens, fruit trees and bees

years. If you’re unsure about your nearest source, look for large shrub-like trees with light-green oval leaves and bunches of buds. Once you’ve found your location, go there again with long-handled loppers, standard secateurs, gardening gloves and a large basket to carry the flowers home.

Alongside the flowers, I use sugar, lemons and citric acid for my cordial. Citric acid is one of the main ingredients of sherbet sweets, and nicely balances the sugar. As with many sugary recipes, elderflower cordial can ferment. This is great if you want to make champagne, but not if you’d prefer your drink to remain non-alcoholic. To avoid a year’s worth of cordial exploding, I would recommend storing in the fridge or the freezer in bottles or ice cubes. The other option is to pasteurise it (see below). Sara will be sharing smallholding tips at the Country Living Spring Fair in April (countrylivingfair.com).

Look for large shrub-like trees with light-green oval leaves and bunches of creamy buds