Comments on: Trees: Elder

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 19:02:01 +0000

In reply to Ashley. Wow Ashley, well done you for starting again. It IS hard work, drawing, no matter what age you are! That's going to be beautiful, featuring your own illustrations on your blog. Good luck with the elder! X

By: Ashley

Ashley — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 08:59:02 +0000

Hello Lizzie, this is amazing, so much wonderful information and the most beautiful drawings. I’m trying my best to start drawing again (at 75, it’s hard work) to add to my own blog, which usually features photographs. For Samhain at the end of October, I’m using Elder as the theme. So fingers crossed it works. Ashley 😊

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 08:41:59 +0000

In reply to Spade. Thankyou

By: Spade

Spade — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 08:00:16 +0000

Beautiful illustrations

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 11:33:14 +0000

In reply to gralion torile. Thank you. Thanks for all your comments.

By: gralion torile

gralion torile — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 01:05:11 +0000

he blog was how do i say it… relevant, finally something that helped me. Thanks

By: clara

clara — Sat, 30 Jul 2022 01:05:58 +0000

I have one in my yard but have never tried to draw or paint it because of the complexity of the blossom umbrelle’s and fruit clusters. I should get out there and do so. I did successfully make an elderflower champagne one year by accident. I was trying to make cordial but the entire batch went fizzy in a matter of days. So I bottled it and 6 weeks later had the most delightful slightly alcoholic fizzy drink. Very nice in summer.

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Sat, 07 May 2022 21:15:52 +0000

In reply to Gabriele.

Gabriele, how fascinating! I didnt know about the “other” elder. And to avoid it! Ill pass that on to the author of The Hedgerow Handbook (a foraging book I illustrated) so shes knows too…

I wouldnt beat yourself up about too much not painting constantly. When you want to or need to, you will. Your paintbox will be ready for you when yorue next ready for it. But I like that my films make you feel like maybe youre getting closer to that time…

thanks so much for your comments, and for teaching me about the elders!

By: Gabriele

Gabriele — Wed, 04 May 2022 14:04:55 +0000

Thank you so much for this (another) interesting blog post with your beautiful illustrations! I remember collecting elder berries with my children – I made syrup for the winter when they were little…

And this reminds me of so many people here (in Germany) who warned us not to mix them up with the “dwarf elder”, “danewort”, “dane’weed” (I looked that up on Wikipedia, because I don’t know which common word you use for this plant) – Sambucus ebulus. Both are quite similar to another, though there are a couple of possibilities to distinguish them: the main one is imho that S. ebulus has its berries earlier in the year (from May on). And S. ebulus is said to “stink” (so maybe some people connect that with the elder plants mentioned here…).

Thanks again, I always enjoy your blog posts as well as your you tube videos! My watercolour paints are still packed up since I moved here (and have not painted for a couple of years due to those minor and major catastrophes in life; I simply stopped painting and do not know why). Your videos and posts motivate me a lot to start again; thank you for that!

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 21:53:50 +0000

In reply to Graciela.

Hi Graciela

No, thank YOU! What a lovely message. I’ve learnt so much from Adele, who wrote the book. She’s also a LOT of fun. And yes, I love all the facets of plants we’re so used to that we often just overlook them. Im so lucky to be able to share, and to have an appreciative audience!