The Golden Apple...

I planted my Apple Trees today. I have planted one on each side of the path so in time they will create a canopy that you can walk under. I would like them to grow towards one another to create the canopy, but you can't always tame nature so I may have to spend the first few years training and pruning them into the shape and forgo the actual fruit.

I don't mind concentrating my efforts on the eventual shape of the trees. They will be here for a long time, it is a long term investment and I have been reading up about the growing and shaping of trees.

I have an arch that I was going to train them against so it would look a little like this...

Although I decided against it in the end as I want a more organic natural look in that part of the garden. The trees will mark the entrance into the 'wildlife and wildflower' section of the garden so although I want to train them together to form an arch I may have to actually tie the branches together so it would look more like this for the first few years.

 

If I had more space I would love to create an amazing canopy like this...

 

 

 

I still want to get some espalier fruit trees for the patio walls.

I was thinking of Pear. I could get another Apple - they are my favourite fruit but perhaps it would be Apple overload?

 

I would like to build a narrow raised bed against the more shady wall for salad with some left over planks of wood I have lying around, and would then build much deeper beds for the trees made with railway sleepers. I could build brick beds, but I like wood and sleepers have the added benefit of providing extra seating on the patio when the chairs have been packed away for Winter.

I don't mind a more formal structured look on the patio. We look at the patio every single day so form and structure are quite important. I think I would add a green manure in the beds over the Winter and then plant something with edible flowers such as Borage, Violas or Nasturtium during the Summer to add to salads.

This is the sort of thing I would like to aim for...

 

 

 

I have been reading a few books lately about Greek Mythology and came across the tale of Atalanta which I have never read before. If I had to choose a Greek Goddess to be, it would probably be her as I can never resist an apple.

Here is a short summary of the story...

Atalanta was reluctant to wed, and insisted that her suitors beat her in a foot race if they were to wed her. Those who failed the contest would be put to death. Melanion (also known as Hippomenes) prayed to Aphrodite for help before the race. She presented him with three golden apples to throw before Atalanta to distract her, in order to slow her down. The apples were irresistible to Atalanta, so every time she got ahead of Melanion, he would roll an apple ahead of her, and she would run after them. In this way, Melanion won the race and came to marry Atalanta.

 

 

 

So now I plan to sit at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, put a record on (I'm thinking The Wild Heart by Stevie Nicks) and make loads of these. The OH has started to complain about all the empty toilet roll tubes everywhere and no matter how many times I explain what I am saving them for, he tries to put them in the recycling bin. I take them out, he puts them back in, then I take them back out again so I want to make as many as possible and hide them in the greenhouse until I can start sowing...

 

 

                                           


                                                             Have a nice day.