Elderflower season is one of our favourite times of year here at Baboo Gelato. Our co-founder Sam forages the blossoms himself from the hedgerows around Dorset, and turns them into the homemade cordial that gives our Gold-award-winning Elderflower Sorbet its delicate, fragrant flavour.
If you'd like to forage your own, here's everything you need to know — when to pick, how to pick, and what to do with your harvest.
When is elderflower season in the UK?
Elderflowers bloom from late May to mid-June across most of the UK, though the exact timing shifts with the weather and your local climate. In a warm spring the blossoms can appear earlier; in a cool year they may linger into early July. The season is short — usually just a few weeks — so it pays to keep an eye on the hedgerows once May arrives.
How do you identify an elder tree?
The elder (Sambucus nigra) is a small tree or large shrub commonly found in hedgerows, woodland edges, waste ground, and along footpaths. Look for:
- Flowers: Flat, umbrella-shaped clusters (called umbels) of tiny creamy-white blossoms, typically 10–20cm across.
- Scent: A sweet, heady, slightly musky fragrance. Smell is one of the best ways to confirm you've found the real thing.
- Leaves: Made up of 5–7 leaflets arranged in opposite pairs, with serrated edges.
- Bark: Greyish-brown and deeply furrowed on older stems.
Important: Avoid confusion with similar-looking plants. Cow parsley, hemlock, and other white-flowered plants can look superficially alike but grow on green stems, not woody ones. Elder always grows on a woody tree or shrub. If in doubt, don't pick it.
How do you pick elderflowers correctly?
Picking elderflowers well is the difference between a fragrant cordial and a disappointing one. Follow these steps:
- Pick on a dry, sunny morning. Choose flowers that are freshly open and full of pollen — that's where the flavour lives. Avoid blooms that have started to brown or drop.
- Use scissors or snips to cut the whole flower head at the base of its stem.
- Smell before you pick. A good elderflower smells sweet and floral. Discard any that smell unpleasant, sour, or like cat — these are past their best.
- Don't wash them. Washing rinses away the aromatic pollen that carries the flavour. Instead, gently shake each head to remove insects.
- Take only what you need and leave plenty behind. The flowers that remain become elderberries in autumn — vital food for birds and wildlife.
Foraging responsibly
Always forage sustainably and legally. Pick only from plants you can positively identify, never strip a single tree bare, avoid private land without permission, and stay clear of roadside hedgerows near heavy traffic or sprayed crops. A light touch keeps the hedgerows healthy for next year.
What can you make with elderflowers?
Elderflowers are wonderfully versatile. Once you've gathered a basketful, you can make:
- Elderflower cordial — the classic. A sweet, fragrant syrup that's the foundation of countless drinks and desserts (and the heart of our sorbet).
- Elderflower sorbet or gelato — exactly what we do at Baboo, using our own homemade cordial.
- Elderflower champagne — a lightly fizzy, naturally fermented summer drink.
- Elderflower fritters — whole flower heads dipped in batter and fried.
- Elderflower-infused gin, syrups, and jellies.
- Cakes and bakes — elderflower pairs beautifully with lemon, gooseberry, and strawberry.
How do you make elderflower cordial?
A simple homemade elderflower cordial needs just a few ingredients:
- Around 20–30 fresh elderflower heads
- 1.5 litres of water
- 1kg sugar
- 2 lemons (zest and slices)
- Citric acid (optional, helps preserve it)
Bring the water and sugar to a gentle boil to make a syrup, then remove from the heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon slices, and elderflower heads. Cover and leave to infuse for 24 hours. Strain through muslin, bottle, and store in the fridge — or freeze in batches to enjoy beyond the season.
Why we love elderflower at Baboo
There's something genuinely enchanting about elderflower. These delicate blooms, tucked into Dorset's hedgerows, are one of nature's hidden gems — a reminder to appreciate the simple wonders that the season offers.
Our Elderflower Sorbet is made with homemade cordial from flowers Sam forages himself each summer. It won Gold at the 2020 Taste of the West Awards and a 1-star Great Taste Award in 2023, and it remains one of his favourite things to make. But because we can only make it while the blossoms are out, once the cordial runs out, we have to wait until the following year.
So if you spot it in one of our kiosks this summer — don't miss out. It will also be available online for home delivery in the coming weeks.
Find Baboo Gelato kiosks in Lyme Regis, West Bay, Swanage, Morcombelake, and Weymouth.