ST201905

FORAGING IN

YOUR GARDEN

Elder makes a great shrub for a

garden, although it does grow pretty

large. You can keep it down to size

by pruning out the oldest branches

and shoots, right down to the base,

every winter. Take out about a third

of the bush each time. This will also

help to keep the bush abundant in

blooms, as older branches do not

produce as many flowers.

Hawthorn provides a lovely garden

hedge; it’s hugely wildlife friendly

and has enough thorns to see off

intruders, too. It’s easy to keep down

to size with regular clipping, which

should be done outside of nesting

time, when it is bound to attract

birds with its dense growth and

abundance of insect life.

AGI

Lia Leendertz writes about gardens, food

and the British year, and is the author of

The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2019

(Mitchell Beazley).