“Harvest” by Stefani Bittner and Alethea Harampolis provides readers with 47 different projects using a variety of plants in unexpected ways. Cover courtesy Ten Speed Press

You can add elderflower honey to tea and even mix it with fresh lemon juice and carbonated water for a delicious lemonade. Photo by David Fenton

Harvest: Unexpected Projects Using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants (Ten Speed Press, 2017), by Stefani Bittner and Alethea Harampolis is a guide to 47 projects that can be done using unexpected plants. These projects include beauty products, fragrances, cocktails, and more. The following excerpt is from Chapter 1, "Early."

One of the easiest ways to preserve fresh elderflowers is by adding them to honey. The combination is an effective remedy for sore throats, early-season colds, and allergies. Add elderflower honey to tea or simply enjoy it by the healing spoonful. We mix it with fresh lemon juice and carbonated water for a refreshing lemonade.

Infusing elderflower into honey couldn't be easier, and this recipe is wonderfully flexible depending on the quantity of your harvest. You can use smaller or larger amounts of flowers and however much honey you have on hand. Choose the size of the jar to determine how much of the flowers and honey you'll need. You need only enough flowers to fill the jar loosely, followed by the honey, and then you'll be set to partake in the delicious results. Don't toss out extra flowers! Dry them and use them for tea.

What You Need

• 1/4 cup (or more) freshly picked elderflower heads

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• 8-ounces fresh local honey, or more as needed

Note: Makes 8-ounces