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I’ve been on a drive to add more fruit trees to the garden this year. Not all go into the ground – my two lemon trees and the ‘baby’ apricot trees that I grew from stones are in pots so that they can be given some extra protection from the elements over the winter. And we’d need some serious climate change before the avocado tree that my daughter is growing would survive outdoors.
But I do love the idea of growing something to leave in the garden for the next owners to enjoy when we move on. From gardeners who have worked this garden in the past, we inherited apple, pear, damson and greengage trees. The previous owner added some cobnut trees to this fruity collection – last year was the first time I managed to harvest some of the nuts before the squirrel pinched them all! Guided largely by my stomach, I’ve decided that my contribution to the fruit garden is going to be a plum tree. Not sure which variety yet, but I have a spot picked out for the tree and want to get it in the ground this autumn.
I’m usually given a bag or two of ripe plums by friends who already have productive trees in their gardens. But this year the crop hasn’t been so good, and I’ve had to resort to looking for plums at the market. Last week there were some lovely big English plums on my favourite fruit and veg stall. Almost as soon as they were through the kitchen door, they were turned into a lightly spiced compote with some lemon verbena leaves swirled through to give a gentle hint of lemon.
The compote is perfect for a quick, and reasonably healthy, weekday breakfast with a couple of big spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt. If it’s the weekend and you have more time, try it with a stack of thick, fluffy American-style pancakes, more yoghurt and a swirl of maple syrup. Just add a mug of hot coffee and the weekend papers – could there be a better way to start the day?
I’m linking this post to Helen’s Breakfast Club over at Fuss Free Flavours. This month the theme is fruit, and the challenge is being hosted by Urvashi at The Botanical Baker.
Plum & Lemon Verbena Compote
5 large plums
50g dark muscovado sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
leaves from 3 sprigs of lemon verbena, quite finely chopped
zest of ½ lemon (optional)
Wash and halve the plums. Remove the stone, then chop the flesh into smallish pieces. Put the chopped plums, sugar and cinnamon into a pan over a low heat. Stir and allow the sugar to dissolve completely before you increase the heat and bring the mixture to a steady simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the fruit pieces are tender and easily broken up. At this stage you can mash the plums up a little with the back of a wooden spoon to get the texture you like.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped lemon verbena leaves. If you like a good strong lemony flavour, stir in some lemon zest too. Allow to cool slightly.
How delicious, I long for outside space and fruit trees.
When my parents bought their house over 30 years ago it had a small, but well established and thought out orchard with 8 different apples, 2 pears, 3 plums and a quince tree. As well as walnuts and cobs.
Many thanks for taking part in Breakfast Club!
Thanks Helen! I’d love to have a proper orchard, but know that we’re very lucky just to have a random collection of poorly-pruned trees!
Your compote looks delicious! We have various fruit trees – apples, damsons, pears and plums but unfortunately the yield has been really poor this year. I can only see a handful of damsons and the other crops look quite sad too.
I agree that when we design and plant gardens we do so for the next owners as much as for ourselves
Not sure the next owners will thank me for the extensive collection of weeds I’ve got in this garden, but I’d like to think they’ll enjoy the fruit trees as much as we have!
Sounds a lovely way to use both the plums and the lemon verbena. Delicious!
Thanks Cathy! It’s nice to have something warming for breakfast now the mornings are getting cooler.
I already have several fruit trees and don’t really have room for any more but the temptation is always there. The compote looks yummy – as the weather gets colder and porridge comes back on the menu I shall definitely try the compote to go with it.
I guess trees are like any other plant, it’s always tempting to try to squeeze one more into the garden – just on a bigger scale!
The compote looks wonderful! I wish we had room for more fruit trees. Maybe we’ll try to squeeze one in somewhere. Nice post!
Thanks Marie! Like you I’d love to have the space for more fruit trees – the garden seems too big when I look at all the weeding that needs done, but too small when I think of all the things I’d like to try growing!
My mum has too large plum trees and they tend to fruit on a cycle where each has a good year on alternate years which is very organised on them. I make plum jam every year and I have to say its probably my favourite jam – particularly swirled though some greek yoghurt. Yum – i do like the idea of adding some lemon verbena too – very nice.
What incredibly well trained plum trees your mum has – would love to know her secret!
You’re definitely making me dream more of the days when I have the right place to plant fruit trees as well.
Michael
Hope you get the place for fruit trees that you’re dreaming of!
This sounds delicious…I have lemon verbena but sadly, this year, only a handful of plums on the tree (long since eaten), so will have to buy some so I can give this a try! It’s been a terrible year for fruit – my mother in law, who has grown most of her own fruit and veg for some 40 years, had NO apples in her garden for the first time ever this year. Luckily we’ve done OK with apples, but almost no plums. Oh, and a grand total of one pear. We have a wild damson in the hedge and that had nothing, either. I think it was just too cold and wet in the spring and summer. We saw hardly any bees! Some friends have just moved four of their hives into our little orchard, so here’s to a better season next year. Hope you enjoy choosing and planting your plum tree!
It’s been a poor year for fruit here too – not many apples, just two pears and very few damsons. Let’s hope next year is much better – for us and the bees!
Planting trees, what a lovely thing to do! And I must get round to trying Lemon Verbena in cooking – I drink enough in tea
Mmmm – lemon verbena tea sounds good! I’ll have to try some before the leaves drop.
It’s a favourite of mine, if you like green or mint tea I think you will like it
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You can grow all kind of fruit trees in your own garden. But many people prefer apples, peaches, plums and other citrus fruits since they are easier to maintain. The maximum height for these trees may be around 10-12 ft and they are very accommodating and take less space.
Find more information for your reference at http://www.advancednutrients.com/hydroponics/articles/fruit-trees-ornamentals/