Lucy measures her summers in berries but for me, the season is marked by the pinking of the peaches. They are warm, dripping and sticky, and all the more sweet for having been plucked from the beaks of the rapacious birds who peck at every fruit four days before they are perfectly ripe. I never buy a peach in the fruit store - they are such pale and hard imitations of what I savour in the garden in the quiet of the morning.
And so I was happy when walked out in the garden after a week away and saw this:
Three weeks to go, I estimate, and looking far more seasonal than faux snow and flashing Christmas lights. I think it will be a very good Christmas, irrespective of what's under the tree
11 comments:
Ah yes. Christmas is sunburn and fruit so drippy it's best eaten in the bath.
Do you net the trees?
Yum!!!
Ah the sheer splendour of those gorgeous fuzzy full of sun rich peaches!!
Yum - they look absolutely wonderful. I think it was Jackie French who said the birds always get the fruit first because they like it more sour than us - she recommends planting an olive nearby to divert their attention. Sounds good, but what if you also want the olives?
Mmmm, I am salivating as I type :-) Brings back wonderful memories of my Nan's trees groaning with sweet fruit and hours spent bottling what we couldn't eat with the ancient Vacola. I've not tasted a peach since that came close to them in flavour and texture... sigh.
They are gorgeous, aren't they? I pruned this tree very hard after two years of giving me nothing. It realised this was its last chance and exploded. I don't net, Kate, because I've never been able to manage it without so many gaps the birds fly in out and at will. I keep meaning to write to Pete Cundell at gardening Australia and ask for a segment on how to do it. When desperate I put those net bags oranges come in around the fruit, but it;s fiddly and so I only bother when I'm in immanent danger of getting none for myself.
I hadn't heard to olive trick, Tambo, and would try it but as you say, I'd also want the olives. Instead, the fruits trees are somewhat hidden by the immense growth of raspberries, broadbeans and a logan berry and I'm hoping the birds will be stymied. We'll see - they're not easily stymie-able.
You lucky thing! They look delicious!
Silky soft peaches, yum. Yes, far merrier than a fake xmas tree.
We had a peach tree in Hobart and I had to fight Louie the dog for the best ones. She usually won too.
Oh, so delicious.
I can hardly wait for my own peach tree to get that big and fruit-laden. It has about 20 fruit this year but has grown alot so I hope there will be lots more next year.
make some jam and eat it spread thickly on hot white buttered toast for me.
or else.
That is one of the loveliest photos I've seen in years. We have peach and nectarine trees but we have to net ours. I doubt you would down there. Thanks for sharing this great photo.
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