The pond outside our back gate — the pond is owned by the village — is quickly being taken over by blackberries (
ronces in French). If the weather stays as hot as it is right now, maybe we'll soon be able to harvest some berries.
One of our neighbors has a plum tree that is loaded down with fruit. If they start falling to the ground, I'll go get some. They are the size of cherries and make a very good
clafoutis.
Above left, a view of our red maple trees from the neigbors' yard. Above right, one of the roses in our yard. A lot of flowers are fading now because of the hot, dry days we're having.
The pond outside our back gate — the pond is owned by the village — is quickly being taken over by blackberries (ronces in French). If the weather stays as hot as it is right now, maybe we'll soon be able to harvest some berries.
One of our neighbors has a plum tree that is loaded down with fruit. If they start falling to the ground, I'll go get some. They are the size of cherries and make a very good clafoutis.
Above left, a view of our red maple trees from the neigbors' yard. Above right, one of the roses in our yard. A lot of flowers are fading now because of the hot, dry days we're having.
Your millepertuis (St. John's Wort) is the garden one, Tutsan [Hypericum androsaemum].... reknown as an absolute beast, a "wish I'd never planted it" plant... fine for the council estate landscapers where a team goes in and trashes the edges with machines... but as a garden plant NEVERRRRRR!!
ReplyDeleteThe microplum tree looks to me like the red Mirabelle de Lorraine... especially if it is ripening now... it is much earler than the yellow Mirabelle du Nancy which we have.... no use planting a Lorraine here, never anything about to pollinate it [and when we planted it, the frosts back then would've stripped it bare of fruit... but it is the better flavoured one.
You should harvest a whole tonne of them and make some mirabelle jam and give a few pots to your neighbour... I like doing mirabelle jam because there is no fiddly stone removal involved... just slice down to the stone and skim them off as they break free and surface.... wonderfully easy and fun [to go fishing with the skimmer] Our big gage was like that, too, but quetsche are barstewards.... the stones do not come free like damsons.... but the flavour of the jam is worth the extra effort.
The blackberries that grow along the river never bear decent fruit, but the ones in the orchard are very nice and moist.... I think it is the available water... the river ones are on the bank and 6ft above the normal water level, the orchard ones are at the same level, almost, as the millstream....
And yes, we need to use the morning to admire the flowers.... before they shrivel away!
Lovely rose :) So many plums!
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice view of your maple from the neighbor's yard. Le Pré's post makes me want to make plum jam lol.
ReplyDelete