Elderflowers everywhere.

With the warm weather over the last couple of days, elder blossoms are in abundance everywhere.

The flowers can be picked throughout June and July. They make a wonderful syrup. When mixed with ice cold sparkling water the syrup turns into delicious and refreshing lemonade. For advice on how to make the Elderflower syrup please refer to the recipe section.

To finish off your lemonade you could use some wild mint.

I found some of this very fragrant mint growing along the roadside on Inishbofin. 

The mint also grows plentiful around Lough Corrib and even on the many little islands throughout the lough. This type of mint is quite unusual as it can be found growing actually out of the water, with the lower part of the plant submerged.