Suitable flowers for winemaking

Flowers are very popular raw material, but are an effort to pick in enough quantity. It is common to need as much as half a bucket of flowers for a gallon of wine, so it is not surprising that dried flowers. seem a more practical choice.

The other annoying thing about flowers is that they have a nasty habit of being poisonous. Always check first. The list is long, and includes notables such as daffodil, rhododendron and bluebell.

Below is a list of possibilities. For bizarre and archaic reasons, petal quantities are measured in pints.

• Dandelion. Traditionally picked on St Georges Day. For a few weeks you can just keep picking them and they will keep growing back.
• Elderflower. Classic homebrew flower. Makes excellent pseudo-champagne. Pick it in late may/early june. 3/4 pint.
• Gorse. Bright yellow things that live on prickly bushes. Avalible april onward. Use gloves to pick.
• Pansy. 3pints. Steal from gardens!
• Primrose. May season. Very yellow.
• Roses. Again, try gardens.

  Please take care to neither poison yourself, or rape the neighbours' gardens!