A Serene Stroll through the Orchard; Blossoms and Blue Skies
As we appreciate longer days and the signs of summer beginning to take hold, I offer a stroll around our orchard; a brief glimpse at what we've been doing and a sprinkling of what's to come as Summer spreads its wings.
Join me for a stroll around the orchard under crystal azure skies of Beltane; a brief glimpse at what we've been doing and what's to come as Summer makes its first steps forward.
Gone are the damp and gloomy days of late winter, when the warming rays of the vernal sunshine seemed almost tangible but remained elusive to our weather weary backs. Here is the warmth we craved and the light we so dearly needed.
The Season
Gladly we welcomed the sun that rejoiced in its emergence from the endless days of winter. Nervously we now search the broad, blue skies for the dusky signs of gathering clouds. A heavy dew as close to quenching as the hedgerow will get.
Early spring has swelled into a glorious May, a blissful radiance long desired. Birds delight all around us and there's an almost palpable hum of nature under our feet. For now we push down the niggle of apprehension at the prospect of a thirsty summer and we relax into our lush surroundings.
Around the Orchard
Hedge laying is over for another season. Always a barren scene over winter, the desolate vision of a freshly laid hedge is now becoming a relief of new growth. New stems strike skywards and buds burst in defiance at the brutality of the winter. The gentle puffs of spent blackthorn blossom give way to swathes of hawthorn blooms, a rich cream drenching the fresh green , slowly melting into a strawberry cream confetti. Quietly wait the roses that will soon bespeckle our boundary.
The Orchard
Blossom as far as the eye could see. Staggered bursts of soft pink as early varieties of apple, plums and pears gave way to the later varieties , medlars and autumn olive.
The quince flowers are a firm favourite, curled tight they seem to me to be a raspberry ripple; promising sweet delight. We've had little success from the 5 quince trees amongst the orchard, flowering beautifully only for the set fruit to fade and drop before yielding to us any fruit. Vranja, Portuguese and Champion all denying us what we longingly seek.
Our nut trees have begun to flower, with the bladdernut showing us flowers for the first time. At only a foot tall it may be some time before we harvest any!
Within the Orchard
The meadow offers a vast palette of colour. Managing the land without fertilisers or pesticides has seen the, once dense, pasture transformed. Buttercups and clover reign beneath the trees. Wildflowers are tentatively beginning to return; cuckoo flower, forget-me-not and
The yellow rattle that we introduced from 2021 is beginning to strengthen its hold in pockets of the orchard, unassuming seedlings at first; now reaching above the neighbouring grasses, its angular leaves dominant in appearance, if not yet in vigour.
The allotment area has had limited attention. Many hours have been spent stripping the eternally persistent nettles and stripping back the swathes of grass that creep into the beds whenever we turn our backs. The raspberry beds now grass- free, their canes thrumming with the energy of our honey bees who delight in their flowers. The harvest promises to be a good one, if the birds are kind, the juice to be blended with the apple come late summer.
Orchard Aspirations
It's remains a relatively quiet time as an orchardist; we'll stroll through the trees with our morning coffee, inspecting the leaves as we go. We have been in blissful balance with nature to date. Our refusal to spray seemed risky to many but nature has joined with us to maintain a harmony between species. Eyes vigilant for signs of pests we may need to discourage, we've been lucky that the early swell of aphids have met with the loveliness of ladybirds in years gone by. The Elephant hawk moths have been kind and the apple blossom weevils remain a manageable buffet for the birds. Long may our little ecosystem remain in equilibrium.
In the months to come we'll have to thin some fruitlets, an activity I dislike intensely knowing the work that's been invested to get the fruit to that point of maturity, but essential to protect the boughs of our young trees.
If we're lucky, there will be long evenings under a golden sun, meadow aglow as we absorb the beauty of the orchard and bide our time before the coming harvest.
