To steal some elderflower sprigs from this tree?

[WanderingNotLost]

Walking home this evening I passed this enormous elderflower tree in full bloom. It smelled so good! I've been wanting to make some home-made elderflower champagne for ages but haven't found any growing near me. I knocked on the door of the house whose garden it was, but there was no answer, no car in the drive- I'm not even sure the house is occupied, it certainly didn't look like anyone was taking care of it. WIBU to pinch some sprigs?

won't you need quite a lot to make champagne? It looks like there is a pavement next to it so you will be in full public view? I wouldn't risk it without asking the owners first.

You need a lot for champagne. Why not just knock and ask?

YANBU, obviously don't take a branch or anything but a few sprigs won't hurt anyone

Oh whoops, cross post! We have a cherry plum tree in our garden that hangs over the path which runs alongside our house and we've often 'caught' a little old lady gathering the fruit which makes us laugh. We're not using the fruit so we're not bothered by other people getting use out of it.
Maybe best to double check if possible going by other posters.

You need carrier bags filled of the flower heads.

The recipe I've got asks for two pints of flowers, so I wouldn't need to take too many...

How do you measure a pint of flowers? Is that just how many can be stuffed into a pint glass?

YABU.

It's not your tree.

I've scrumped a lot of things in my life, but I would tend to try and scrump only from somewhere obviously abandoned or rural to reduce the risk of someone getting irate with me. Think I'd ask if I were picking from the location pictured! Amazed you need so few - we used to use 30 heads (a whole big trug's worth) for approx 4-5 pints of cordial that would be diluted about 1 in 5.

Just seen that you have asked but no reply! Think if you really only need 10 or so I'd come down when it was twilight and pick if there were no lights on. Worst they're likely to do is shout at you!

Cut a bit then plant it with some Hormone Rooting Powder and grow your own! X

Justdont I thought of that but I've never taken a cutting for replanting purposes in my life, I wouldn't know how to do it! Any tips?

Do you think if there's still nobody there next time I pass, I could just assuage my guilt pop a fiver through the letterbox with a note of apology/thanks?

This is heartbreaking... Elderflower round here is a weed and anyone who wants to take it is extremely welcome!

Moving as I said in the OP I did knock on the door to ask for permission but there was no answer (this was at about 8pm) the house was in darkness, the drive was empty and the whole place looked a little bit shabby so I'm not even sure it's lived in! Plus I'm talking about taking the flowers that are hanging down over the pavement, not going into their garden and hacking at it from there!

ps maybe the photo is misleading, but trust me that tree is absolutely huge.

That's not a bad idea. I might knock on the NDN's house tomorrow and find out if there's anybody living there? Can't hurt to take it if the house is empty.

That tree clearly belongs to someone. YABU to consider taking from it without getting express permission - previous suggestion of leaving a note with contact details is good.

If you're lucky, when you go back to leave a note, you'll run into the owner in person!

Here's the recipe, for anyone who wants it!

I don't know if it "clearly" belongs to anyone, I know I wouldn't let my trees get so overgrown they're wrapped around the lamppost!

Have added some pics from google maps for another perspective - the house today looked exactly how it does in these pics!

Photos didn't add, apparently...

Oh great, now it's added them twice. Why does that keep happening to me?!

Christ only on MN would you be accused of "stealing" a feckn weed.

I would be absolutely livid if you took from ours. You can google the name of the plant you want to forage and your local are and usually come up with a decent list of common lands where you can take whatever you choose.