Burgeoning and Blossoming

This is my favourite time of year!  Though I think I say that almost every week of the gardening year as different plants make their appearance known in the garden.  This week my inspiration has been the blossom on the fruit and ornamental trees.

cherry blossom

crab apple blossom

The weather in this part of the UK has been very, very wet and blustery, not the ideal conditions for blossom!  So between downpours I thought I'd better try and capture the beauty of these fleeting blooms.

ornamental cherry - double

morello cherry

We have more blossoming trees at Holly Grove than I realised.  We inherited a few as poor little specimens growing in what was the rough grass of the paddock.  We moved these 5 years ago and have provided them with a bit more care and been rewarded with cherry blossom (and a few cherries) and from the old apple trees beautiful flowers in May and delicious apples in September and October.

burgeoning blossom on an ancient apple tree

fantastic display on the little pear tree

Other trees we have added including the morello cherry and pear.  The little pear tree is first into flower every year and this year it is a joy to behold.

apple Sunset

Then there are the apple trees that we planted about 4 years ago.  The only one of these currently blooming is Sunset, though the others, a Cox's Orange Pippin and and another whose name escapes me at the moment, are showing signs of buds.  Our plum and greengage haven't bloomed yet, so more blossom days to come in the not too distant future!