Fruit of the year

Bramley apple

Some years ago I decided to concentrate on fruit rather than vegetables in the garden. I already had a big Bramley apple in the lawn, so I introduced some espaliered fruit including two more apples against one wall as well as  a pear tree and, the latest, a Merryweather damson which I planted two years ago. 

                                                                                                 The Concord pear and Pinova apple                                                               

I watched the one pear every day and went out to pick it one morning and it had disappeared - I suspect the squirrel but who knows?

There is also  a Victoria plum tree put in to remember my son Charlie who died ten years ago. This had masses of plums earlier this year. 

Charlie's plum tree in bloom earlier this year

I have smaller fruit including a red currant, which always does well, a gooseberry which doesn't do too badly,  two blueberries, which like acid soil so are in raised beds, and haven't been happy,  and something unusual, whose name I forget, which doesn't need acid soil and was given to me this year by  a friend and which I look forward to eating next year. 

I also have a group of autumn raspberries and masses of wild strawberries and blackberries.

Wild blackberry

There's usually some fruit to eat at most times of year. This year I had so many cooking apples, I have cooked and filled the freezer with dozens of tubs. 

There are still plenty of flowers in the garden including this sweet pea in a pot which has given me lots of pleasure.