Respect your elders
By Keith Atkey, Bridgemere Nursery & Garden World

Elder bushes everywhere have been smothered with creamy flower heads for the past few weeks, filling the air on warm, still days with their sweet Muscat scent. This is a pleasure experienced mainly in the countryside, for you are unlikely to have a Common Elder (Sambucus nigra), in your garden, unless it arrived there accidently via a bird. You may well, however, have one of three purple-leaved varieties, which have become hugely popular since their introduction a mere 10 years ago.

The two better known ones, Black Beauty and Black Lace, were the results of a breeding programme undertaken at the East Malling Research Station. They are both extremely good plants, surely among the top ten shrubs to be introduced during the past fifty years at least, and were an instant hit with the gardening public. It is, of course, their foliage, as near black as dark purple can be, solid and dense in Black Beauty, filigree-fine in Black Lace, for which they are primarily valued, providing a superb focal point and rich contrast in "hot" colour schemes. However, they have their moment of extra glory in late May and June, when their pink flowers create a considerable impact against that dark background. Black Beauty has substantial heads of a deep, sultry pink, while those of Black Lace are lighter and airier, harmonising with its general character.

Better than either in flower, in my opinion, is 'Thundercloud', a variety launched at around the same time, though on a much smaller scale, as the other two. 'Thundercloud' arose, not as part of a deliberate breeding programme, but as a "sport" of a plant of the first of the purple elders, 'Guincho Purple', at the Dorothy Clive Garden, a few miles down the road from Bridgemere. (Sport is the technical term for a shoot which is significantly differet from the plant it is growing on. Most variegated hollies arose as sports.) It was spotted by the then production director of Bridgemere, Chris Sanders, who propagated it and introduced it to the trade. (As a matter of interest, Chris was also one of the prime movers of the development of Black Beauty and Black Lace at East Malling-so you could say he was really into elders at the time!)

'Guincho Purple' is more blackish- brown than purple and its flowers are cream. The leaves of 'Thundercloud' are a glossy, rich reddish-purple, with random touches of green- a less sombre colour than Black Beauty and Black Lace- and the flowers are a brighter, livelier colour. There is one slight disadvantage to 'Thundercloud'-one which is common to many plants which originate as sports-which is that it is a little inclined to revert to 'Guincho Purple'. However, this only happens occasionally on a small number of plants; and it is just a matter of pinching out reverted shoots when spotted.

I love all these varieties! Each is the right one for creating a particular effect in the garden. One bonus they all have in common, is that a pretty pink cordial can be made from their flowers. (I 'm surprised M & S haven't cottoned on to this one!) For those who have never tried it, elderflower cordial is one of the most refreshing of summer drinks, with a delicious flavour of Muscat grapes. Here is an easy recipe to try, should you be so inclined:

Recipe for elderflower cordial

Fill a container, such as a small plastic bucket, with large heads of elderflowers, which should be just open. Leave for 36 hours. Strain into a pan. Into a large bowl put ¾ lb of sugar and ½ oz. of citric acid for every pint of strained liquid. Bring the liquid to the boil. Pour over the sugar and stir till dissolved. Allow to cool, then pour into screw top plastic bottles. Dilute to taste.

Keep a bottle in the fridge for immediate use. The rest should be frozen.

There should still be time, if you act swiftly, to try a batch this season. If not, make a note in your diary for the beginning of this month next year!

Finally, I should like to put in a plug for one more variety, which is rarely seen in garden centres or nurseries these days- which is a shame, for it is a beautiful plant. This is the Fern-leaved Elder, Sambucus nigra laciniata, with leaves as finely divided as those of Black Lace, but plain green. It may better suit those who have no place for another purple-leaved shrub in their garden, and has especially large heads of creamy flowers- ideal for cordial-making!

Also available: Sambucus racemosa Southerland Gold - European red elder (3lt)