Yes! I've really gotten into actually making use of my freezer recently. It's also great for spices and herbs that you use less frequently.
- Fresh tumeric and ginger: just grate off what you need and pop it back.
- Chillies: freeze whole and cut up and use as needed
- Herbs: how well they freeze depends. Things like sage, thyme, curry leaves freeze really well. Basil and coriander will be very soggy when they defrost but are fine if you're just using them in a sauce.
That's devastating. I hadn't heard of the Arran whitebeam before, I'll have to look out for it when on Arran next.