Wine elderberry is a useful plant

Although it is dormant now, its leaves long fallen, it will not be much longer before the elderberry begins to break bud and starts to leaf up for summer. It is one of the earliest native trees or shrubs to break bud and show new shoots. Part of the charm of this plant is its soft-green vigorous shoots that are produced on the grey-brown stems. In early summer, the bushes will be covered with flat heads of small, white flowers, held clear of the foliage.

Elderberry is a native plant, making a small tree or large bush. Not many native trees are grown in gardens and this one is not generally planted in its wild form because it is too vigorous and too demanding of space. But it often appears as a volunteer tree, growing from seed carried by birds that eat the berries in late summer.

Luckily, it is a relatively easy weed to knock out. Seedlings can be pulled up as the roots give way easily, or dug out with a spade. Usually, these wild seedlings are removed, but occasionally a plant might be left in place, especially in a rural setting near a boundary.

Apart from their decorative value, the flowers are traditionally used to make elderflower cordial with sugar and lemon. A form of dry white wine can be made with the flowers for flavour and the berries can be juiced to make a red wine.

Raw and unripe elderberries are quite toxic and can cause severe illness, but the toxic content can be reduced by being fully ripe and by heating before wine is made. Animals do not graze on the foliage as it is bitter, but some cases of pigs that ate the roots being poisoned have been recorded.

Plants with variegated or ferny leaves occasionally arise naturally and some of the better forms of these have been used as garden plants, especially the variegated and golden-leaved forms.

Elder is easily raised by cuttings taken in summer and passed on. Old bushes are sometimes seen in old gardens and they have an old-fashioned charm, but have been superseded by better forms.

Dark-leaved forms have become very popular and these had not been seen in old gardens. The first of these to appear was Guincho Purple, named after a garden in Co Down. This is a fine plant, with dark purple-red leaves and washed-pink flowerheads. Black Beauty is similar, but with broad leaflets.

Black Lace is very popular. It has narrowly cut, dark-coloured leaves and pink flowers. These fade to almost white as they age. Eva is similar, with divided leaves and pink flowers, perhaps with more open flowerheads.

Thundercloud is a spectacular form with broad leaflets, slightly rolled, red-purple in colour and with lots of flowers that open in sequence. The first flowers to open fade to pink, while the following ones offer a showy contrast of heads of rich red buds.

The red-berried elder is a different species, native to Europe, but not to this country. It is not grown in its basic green-leaved form, but its golden, cut-leaved version, Plumosa Aurea, is very popular.

When the new foliage emerges in spring, it is dark orange to start with and as it opens the colour softens to deep gold.

Any of these elders are easy to grow in good, ordinary soil, with best leaf colour being produced in full sunshine.

If they get too big, they can be cut back hard, to ground level even, especially for showy new foliage effects.

Plant herb shrubs

Although herbs are not generally thought of as shrubs, some of them are. The shrubby herbs include rosemary, sage, thyme and bay laurel, which is capable of making a tree to more than six metres – not the typical size of a kitchen herb.

Lavender can be added to that list as it is a herb, though not much used in the kitchen. Mountain pepper, or pseudowintera, could be added too. This is used as a condiment in its native New Zealand.

Any of these shrubby herbs can be planted now from a pot and will be nicely established by spring.

Choose a sunny spot with enough room for the shrub planted, or resolve to prune it annually in spring to keep it to a reasonable size.

All of these are easy to grow in good soil that drains well and does not waterlog in winter.

Flowers

Perennial border flowers can be lifted and divided, if necessary. Many of these are beginning to show signs of new growth. Bedding flowers can be started off in a heated propagator now, but it is still too early for most of the easy kinds. Control weeds in flower beds and borders as they manage to grow through the winter.

Trees, shrubs and roses

Roses can be pruned at any time in good conditions. If the ground is very wet, delay planting as there is a danger of roots rotting in waterlogged soil. For most kinds, avoid ground that does not drain within a day or two of heavy rain. Young trees and shrubs planted recently may have become loose and need firming.

Fruit, veg and herbs

Prune apple and pear trees if not already done. Lift rhubarb stools for forcing in a dark, warm place. For early crops, sow the seeds of early varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce and onions now. Start these off in warm conditions indoors or in a propagator and grow on in a greenhouse. Sprout seed potatoes now.

Lawns

If the soil is firm enough a first mowing can be carried out at any opportunity. If the lawn area has drainage, make sure that the drainage outlets are clear to allow surplus water to escape. The lawnmower should be serviced. Moss can be treated with lawn mosskiller or sulphate of iron if there is a lot of moss.

Greenhouse and house plants

If given reasonable care, Christmas houseplants, such as poinsettia, azalea and cyclamen can be made to last longer. They will need watering, but only just enough to keep them moist, certainly don’t leave them standing in water. Give no feeding. Be sure to give them good light.