Blossom Time

I've been neglecting my blogs recently, life has been delivering some challenges over the past few weeks and months but now blossom time is here again at Holly Grove and, in its beauty, demanding some mention, so I'm back on line...

The two old apple trees are abundant with pink and white flower. Unfortunately the weather remains unseasonably chilly and the number of bees in the garden is severely limited, not sure what this may mean for crops of apples in September and October. The younger apple trees planted during our first winter at HG, 2007, are progressing well, especially Sunset which has a gorgeous dark pink blossom followed (hopefully) by deep red apples.

Also in blossom is a lovely little Morello Cherry bought and planted last spring. We had 6 cherries from it last year, or would have had if the birds hadn't beaten us to them. I'm looking forward to the year when we have enough cherries to warrant netting the tree until the fruit is ripe and then making some lovely Morello Cherry jam - might be quite a wait!
The damson and plum trees flowered earlier in the spring, around the middle of April, when the weather was exceptionally fine and warm, so we should get a decent crop of fruit again this year. Last year's bounty was huge and the weather pattern this year has been very similar to 2009: warm and fine April followed by chilly and wet May.

Whatever the weather, a garden in May is a beautiful and peaceful place to spend some time.