The Fruit Garden

The fruit garden is now completed in terms of its planting. The last four trees are planted, two are Plums:

* Plum 'Czar', which produces medium sized, oval, dark purple cooking fruits which are excellent for pies, crumbles, sauces and jams.

* Plum Avalon - Krimsk, one of the very finest dessert fruits with large round-oval red fruits.

Avalon came from a specialist nursery along with a cullinary Damson we also ordered. This is called Shropshire Damson 'St Julien'. We also picked up a Pear, 'Concorde', locally which is a very heavy cropper with sweet, juicy medium to large fruits. It joins the collection of fruit trees we have previously planted:

* Cheery 'Stella Giesla'

* Apple 'Royal Gala'

* Apple 'Discovery'

* Crab Apple 'Malus Hupehensis'

Added to this are the 3 x Step-over Apples that divide the Fruit and Vegetable gardens (1 x Apple 'Pinova' and 2 x Apple 'Ambassy'.)

The Crab Apple is already producing the most wonderful array of red berries which we will use amongst our Christmas decorations.

We also had time to construct a leaf bin out of tree stakes and chicken wire. Our leaves have been collected in a very large and very white dump bag. Not ideal for long term use and something of an eyesore. The leaves will also rot down quicker now with the air flow that the chicken wire allows.

But we are most pleased with the Fruit Garden. Yes, it looks like a collection of twiggy trees and stakes right now, but given time and patience it will look lovely come this spring and many years to come. And we get the benefit of the wonderful produce it will provide.