For Apple Day: Eat your way to the river
It's Apple Day, one of my favourite days of the year and what better way to celebrate than to tell you about my recent trip to Longney, where Gloucestershire Orchard Trust have 18 acres of apple orchard under their tender care. Here you'll find older orchards with some trees well over a century old, plus their newer plantings of around 94 Gloucestershire cultivars which have just acquired national plant collection status at Plant Heritage . The jury's out on the actual number as DNA testing has revealed at least one locally named variety is actually a more well known one: Ribston Pippin in this case. Don't worry, there are dozens there which definitely have their origins rooted firmly in Gloucestershire and their cultivation at Longney is vital to their continued presence and preservation. There were around 200 local varieties at one time and today it's around 100 still in existence. Steve Mason - the Trust's Curator - was our knowledgeable guide who invited ...



We have a cat in a seed tray at present.
ReplyDeleteIt's not growing any faster than the rocket seeds which didn't come up in it.
(Fortunately.)
Lucy
It is amazing how much Jess looks like our Tisha. Their choice in beds is also similar.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what Jess is up to in the seed bed, just sitting there I hope? I do love your cat(s). The plot looks amazing, and if I had one, this is how I would like mine to look. x
ReplyDeleteI just love the garden and btw have an identical cat...who also likes to sleep in garden tubs and planters...he thinks he's a flower, we call him Petal
ReplyDeleteSandi
I've known lots of cats who would do exactly the same as Jess!
ReplyDeleteIsn't that typical! you spend all that time raking and digging getting the soil just right to plant seeds.. and a cat sits on it! cute photo!
ReplyDeleteLove the pics of your plot, it's looking great and I'm very glad that Jess gave her stamp of approval for the new seed bed. So important that. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOooh can you grow one for me?!
ReplyDeleteA cat can't resist a patch of carefully prepared soil - particularly if it's in the sun. An open newspaper on a table is a close second!
ReplyDeleteLucy - Jess is growing though. According to the vet yesterday our little scrap's now a half kilo overweight. Shome mishtake shurely?
ReplyDeleteDeb - Tee hee. Must look out for your Tisha!
TIMP - that's so nice of you to say Louise thank you! xx
Sandi - that's made me laugh...
Flighty - yes, but it still makes them endearing when they do it!
Matron - thanks. It made me giggle when she did it - you can't be angry with her even after all that hard work :)
Yolanda - I knew you would approve. I'm sure the Bliss Team do the same thing sometimes?
Suburbia - we also do Tabby...
EG - Ah bottom scanning the newspaper. Cats are so talented aren't they? ;)
This looks lovely. Ahhhhh JESS! I want to snuggle Jess and sniff her toes. Are they cheesy? Are they? Ah go on, humour me. Are they? I bet they are.
ReplyDeleteAhhh yes, cheesy toes they are Helena.
ReplyDeleteSkimbles a foot fetishist too ;)