GBBD: Apple Blossom Time

Herefordshire Russet & Red Windsor - I'm rather liking the apple, Pulmonaria and Dicentra combo at the bottom left

Most years, my garden's apple blossom falls between April and May's Blooms Days. This year its timing is perfect and I was relieved to find the bees buzzing amongst the blooms despite the cooler weather we're having lately.

March's extreme cold means it's a bumper year for apple blossom*. Now I'm crossing my fingers for a bumper pollination and harvest. Don't mention to the weather gods I've said that, will you?

* = most apple varieties require lots of hours - between 400 and 1,000 - of cooler temperatures (just above freezing) to break winter dormancy and for good blossom formation = minimum chill requirement. There are some varieties which require substantially less than that (100-200 hours e.g. Anna). It will be these varieties we may need to look to plant in the future if longer term climate change means our winters get warmer.

Garden Bloggers' Blooms Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Comments

  1. flowerlady15 May 2013 at 12:10

    My Apple blossom is also lovely this year, I keep looking at it wondering if there is just more or if it is pinker thank usual.Not sure which it is but am really enjoying it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pauline15 May 2013 at 13:13

    Your apple blossom looks very pretty with the dicentra and pulmonaria, lovely contrast of texture. We too have loads of blossom, I just hope that we have the bees this year, last year it was so cold I think only 1/3 of the flowers were pollinated.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lea15 May 2013 at 14:06

    Lovely apple blossoms!
    Happy GBBD!
    Lea's Menagerie

    ReplyDelete
  4. VP15 May 2013 at 15:40

    FL - I'm enjoying it too. As I have quite a few apple varieties, I find there's quite a variation in pinkness between them. As you can see, the Herefordshire Russet is quite a bit pinker than the Red Windsor.

    Pauline - that's exactly what I'm fearful of. Too much cold weather forecast for the rest of this week :(

    Lea - thans you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Esther Montgomery15 May 2013 at 16:34

    I've been worried about my apple - whether it would flower. By this time last year it had been plastered in blossom for a couple of weeks. Little pink precursors of blossom are beginning to form now and I think all will be well but the waiting has been a bit anxious!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Crafty Gardener15 May 2013 at 17:25

    Apple blossoms are so beautiful. Lots of trees in blossom around here too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. rusty duck15 May 2013 at 18:49

    Our apple blossom has just started to open. I thought it would get smashed last night when I heard the rain, but it's still looking great. Lots of bees around it as well. Fingers crossed.

    ReplyDelete
  8. HELENE16 May 2013 at 06:17

    Lovely apple blossoms, I don't grow any fruit myself but I'd love to, if I could find the space in my tiny garden :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. VP16 May 2013 at 09:07

    Esther - it's been an anxious wait here too. I also have a quince and I've just noticed its first blossom forming :)

    CG - it's been very windy here, so there's quite a bit of blossom 'confetti' around

    RD - yes, fingers crossed!

    Helene - one of my trees is in a pot. If you get one with a small rootstock, that could be a possibility for you?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HELENE16 May 2013 at 14:33

      Yes, sure, if I could find a space for a pot! I have just bought two lovely magnolias which I intend to grow in pots for the next 7-8 years at least. My patio is tiny, and filled to the rim just as my garden - I need a bigger garden!

      Delete
    2. VP16 May 2013 at 14:43

      Helene - ahhh the eternal problem of too much choice and not enough garden. Now if you had a bigger garden and got your apple tree, you'd then want an orchard, like I do ;)

      Delete
  10. Rosie, Perthshire Gardener and Photographer16 May 2013 at 16:32

    Oh there must be a lovely scent from that part of the garden just now VP.

    My crab apple blossom is still in bud but hopefully by the weekend it will be covered in bloom. I'm hoping that I'll have plum blossom soon too only the leaves are just breaking through now.

    ReplyDelete
  11. VP17 May 2013 at 09:26

    Hi Rosie - it's fab :) I didn't get much in the way of plum blossom up at the plot this year. I need to check to see if there's any fruit set - it did coincide with a relatively warm period of weather, so heopefully the bees have done their work.

    ReplyDelete
  12. scottweberpdx17 May 2013 at 19:19

    As much as I love Apple blossoms...the apples that follow are even better :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. VP17 May 2013 at 19:54

    Scott - absolutely :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Donna@Gardens Eye View18 May 2013 at 14:36

    I adore apple blossoms in spring!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Rock rose 19 May 2013 at 00:19

    I have this incredible memory of the apple blossoms in my University grounds back in the early 60s. It was a dream scene. Then the bluebells in the Oxfordshire woods. I'm glad I still have those memories.

    ReplyDelete
  16. CJ19 May 2013 at 18:50

    That's fascinating - I thought there was a lot more than usual on my three little trees, and that must be why. I haven't seen many bees though, which is slightly worrying. In fact I even went round and brushed the flowers with a paint brush the other day because Bob Flowerdew said to do so. Hope it helps. Apple blossom is one of my absolute favourite spring flowers. I have to stop and admire it every time I see it. Lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  17. VP2 June 2013 at 09:01

    Donna - so do I!

    Lancashire Rose - the blossom's been so prolific this year, I'm sure others will be looking back to this one like it was a dream :)

    CJ - I've checked my trees and thank goodness the bees have done their work :)

    ReplyDelete

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