This is the cherry tree which lets us, our neighbours and passersby truly know that Spring has arrived. As you can see it's a large tree, far too large when it's time to pick the cherries, and definitely far too large to be standing only six inches away from the driveway. It is the result of a casually discarded cherry pip many years ago, and I've always declared that one day it was 30cm high, and the next day it was 2 metres high and too big to move! But when in blossom it's a magnificent site, and on a sunny day the bees are almost as prolific as the blossoms.
As well as providing delicious fruit it shades the loungeroom from the early summer sun, and in the autumn it brightens the garden with its large, yellow leaves. Cherry trees in orchards, which are pruned to keep them to a manageable size, generally produce 14-18kg of fruit per season. Three years ago we were very pleased with the 33kg we picked and bottled. However that was well and truly surpassed this season with over 50kg, with at least another 5kg left on the tree for the birds. Fortunately they are very quick and easy to bottle; although this time I really had to scrounge for enough bottles, mainly because we hadn't eaten all the cherries from previous years.
Spring has 'sprung' and so have the blossoms.
The crop looks sparse but those large leaves hide most of them.
Autumn colour before becoming compost.
Some of this season's crop.
such a beautiful tree in all its seasons
ReplyDeleteCan you bake a cherry pie, Charming Alice?
ReplyDeleteDo you know that song?...."Can you bake a cherry pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy? Can you bake a cherry pie, Charming Billy?
I'll bet all your friends, neighbors and family love the cherry tree almost as much as you do :)
It's absolutely glorious! And yes, beautiful in all seasons. What a blessing!