I took a walk through the garden this morning, to see how the plants and fruit trees are doing. The amaranth has gotten so tall! I just love it. It has such a pretty dark reddish color and vibrancy. I love the taller flowers. This is actually a grain, but I use it as an ornamental. It can tolerate the triple digits, and it actually thrives in our desert heat.
The blood orange tree has numerous clusters of green oranges on it. These will become beautiful, reddish orange fruits in the winter. There is a lovely marbled crimson shade to the flesh. My friend Karena gave me this tree many years ago, as an Easter gift. It just keeps giving and giving. I absolutely love it.
These four o'clocks were grown from seed. My neighbor gave me an envelope of seeds for them almost twenty years ago. Each year the flowers reseed and bloom. I love the brightness of the colors. They attract hummingbirds, which are one of my favorite pollinators. They are drawn to the tubular shaped flowers and blossoms.
The meyer lemon tree has lots of lemons this year. They are kind of hard to see in this photo, but if you look closely, there are several of them growing at the bottom of the tree. They are so delicious! I am looking forward to using them in my cooking and baking. They make a divine sorbet, too. The rind is very fragrant and zesty.
The navel oranges are my very favorites. They are so sweet and flavorful. I love them as an eating orange. I'm pleased with the size of the fruit this year. It takes many years for citrus trees to grow and mature. This is the first time I have had oranges that were so large. I can't wait to taste them! How is your garden doing?
Blood Oranges are my personal favorite. You are lucky to have such a healthy tree and the space to let it grow. We also have a Meyer Lemon but it is in a pot. Ours is a prolific producer! I also love Four O'Clocks. The root structure is interesting-they look like deep parsnips! And thanks for your kind words on my knitting. It means a lot to me.
ReplyDeleteHi Anita, My pleasure. You are a fabulous knitter! Yes, it is wonderful to have the space for a backyard orchard. Tree ripened fruit is the best tasting.
ReplyDeleteTo have two gifted items in your garden is even more special. It must remind you of them. Gifts which just keep giving.
ReplyDeleteLemon sorbet sounds delicious.
Kylie
Hi Kyle, Yes, I love plants and fruit trees. I always think of the women who gave these to me when I pick the flowers or oranges. Lemon sorbet is fabulous! I make it in an ice cream maker.
Deletei have a meyer lemon too, so prolific! last year we had so many lemons that my daughter took home 3 tall buckets in one sitting! this year not so good, it dropped all the fruit in the heat, then the cockatoos demolished what was left! my poor 4 o'clocks haven't come up this year, too dry here now; i like the look of your amaranth, it likes the dry? i might try growing it here, nothing else is growing & the roos are stripping my garden of what ever green is left.
ReplyDeleteyour gardens are looking lovely & green, loved the tour
thanx for sharing
Hi Selina, I hope your Meyer Lemon recovers. I've had grasshoppers eat the tiny fruits on my lime tree in the past. My 4 o'clocks came up very late this year. They seem to prefer the cooler temperatures. Yes, amaranth does very well in hot, dry climates. It's easy to grow from seed. The stalks are thick and sturdy.
DeleteFruit trees are great gifts! You have a lovely harvest to look forward to. We have a mandarin tree in blossom at the moment and blueberries slowly turning blue. There's nothing quite like the taste of homegrown fruit, straight from the tree. Meg:)
ReplyDeleteI agree, Meg. How wonderful that you grow mandarins and blueberries. I have a couple of Algerian Tangerine trees that give delicious fruit.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful trees! The great care that you take of them is evident in their health and longevity. They are a treasure.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jill. I feed them compost four times a year, mulch them with straw, and water them regularly. They add a lot to the landscape, and really tolerate the heat well.
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