STORY BEHIND THE ART OF WENDY HOLLENDER

Wildly Exquisite: Florida’s Native Plants

Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

I have elderberries growing in my garden in the Hudson Valley of New York state. The elderberry is quite useful, a prolific perennial bush that produces abundant flowers and berries. I wanted to create a page that included information about the plant and its uses, uses that I have tried every year. Elderberry syrup is restorative and freezes well, so I am able to enjoy it all year long. I am fascinated by how the berry color and the syrup change from bright pink to blue-green as I wash and cook the berries.

I allowed myself to have fun on this page and just explore all elements of the plant. Since the flowers are so tiny, I studied them under a microscope and drew them enlarged. The bright pink stems that surround the purple-to-black berries adds a nice contrast to the composition.

The birds love these berries, too. The birds know as well as I do that you cannot pick elderberries unripe, so we watch and wait for the berries to turn almost black and then swoop in at just the right moment—it’s always a race to see who gets there first.

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Read more about this artist’s work: 23rd Annual