Spring blossom, my garden, Fife.

The Amelanchier tree below is also known as a serviceberry apparently. It’s really pretty and delicate and has lovely leaf colour too. I’m trimming the height of this tree so it doesn’t get out of hand. That has the advantage of making it bush out at the lower trunk so it will look more like a shrub which is what I want.

Amelanchiar Tree

Amelanchier Tree , my garden

Below is a plum tree which has loads of blossom on it, but it was the same last year. I had very high hopes for a great crop of plums, then came a May frost and it turned the blossom and buds black. As his April had the most nights of below freezing temperatures – I think since records began, I am not being too optimistic this time.

Plum Tree, garden

Below is the same tree again, but in the background you can see a bright red quince and there’s a pink blossomed apple tree against the fence, behind the plum tree.

Plum Tree, my garden

I’m still waiting for my pear tree and a Bramley apple tree, both of which should flower later this month. I didn’t get one pear last year due to frosts but the Bramley apple tree gave me a fairly decent crop for its first time, about six big apples as I recall. I live in hope!

12 thoughts on “Spring blossom, my garden, Fife.

  1. These frosty nights are killers for the garden. I’m waiting to see if our small group of young apple trees will blossom or whether the frost will have damaged the buds. As for amelanchiers, I love them too. I have two close together which I can see from our windows. They give so much throughout the year. I’ve just discovered that the berries are edible and taste like apples. I don’t think I’ll be picking them later. I like to let the birds have the berries in the garden.

    • Sandra,
      We’re still having hail showers and today it didn’t get above 5 celsius, it’s tough being a gardener here. I’m surprised that you’re having similar problems in the balmy south! I’ve just realised too that the berries can be eaten, I’ll try one but I bet it’s very sour – because of a lack of heat.

  2. Lovely trees and gardens. As you know, we’re planting a small forest in our backyard, only trees that are supposed to stop growing at about 30′. We just planted a crab apple, four hazelnuts, two serviceberries, and a Carolina allspice. Seems I’m forgetting something. The birds will appreciate all of these.

    • If you figure out how to keep squirrels from eating all your hazelnuts Joan, please let me know your secret! I’ve had my tree for over 10 years and have yet to get a nut because I am not fast enough!

      • Stefanie,
        The hazelnut trees just outside my garden – in the wild – get stripped by the squirrels but they don’t seem to be able to get the ones on the very end of the branches so I can always get those ones. I think those twiggy branches are too delicate to hold their weight and they don’t seem to have figured out that they could shake them off. It’ll be interesting to hear how Joan gets on with hers!

  3. I hope you don’t get any frosts this year! We do indeed call Amelanchiers in the US serviceberries. We also call them Juneberries and sometimes Sakatoons. I have two and they are finally getting big enough that I might get more than a handful of berries this year. Looking forward to that since they are so tasty. I have a wild plum tree, a native variety, and it is barely up to my armpit. No flowers on it but I am looking forward to when it gets big enough.

    • Stefanie,
      I’ve heard of Sakatoons but didn’t realise it was Amelanchier. My plum tree is a Victoria plum and it must be about 12 feet tall, I don’t want it to get much bigger so I’ll be forced to prune it – something I hate doing. Today it didn’t get above 41 fahrenheit which is ridiculous for May, our weather is well and truly buggered.

      • Wow! That’s a tall plum tree! Lucky your squirrels can’t get the hazelnuts on the twiggy branches! Mine seem to have it all figured out. Full of nuts one day and the next every single one is gone.

        • Stefanie,

          That’s so annoying, I bet most of the nuts are buried and forgotten about too, that’s why I have multiple wee hazelnut trees coming up in my garden every year!

    • tracybham,

      We’re going to have yet another hard frost overnight, I think we’ll be very lucky if we get any plums this year. It’s tough being a gardener in Scotland!

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