Ooooh. Would you put some in the fridge? No reason. Just do it.

No. 👍

Fine. Save them for breakfast.

Lovely dusky plums you got there mate…

👀

😬

Juice-eh 😋

You need to get picking them!

They’re green and hard 👀 when you look close up so I’ll leave them a bit longer. I’ve already had some. They’re lush.

My baby tree gave me five wonderful plums this year. First time I’ve been able to harvest any.

Oh nice. Well this one has only been in the ground for about 3-4yrs. Every year its meagre number of branches carry double the previous year’s fruit. It’s in the shadow of our apple tree and seems to like it there.

That’s good news because mine is under one of the apple trees in my garden! I’ve tried to make a mini fruit orchard with pears and cherries as well. Three pears this year but all the cherries lost to the birds.

Oh that sounds lovely. One day I’ll have space for such things!

Looks like I have less space than you. I’m aiming to keep the trees small so I can reach the fruit.

Yeah I believe that’s what you’re meant to do. Like growing tomatoes you prune hard to give the fruit all the nutrients rather than the plant / tree growing bigger.

I grew up in a little village in Oxfordshire where Raymond Blanc set up his restaurant and hotel. When he started an orchard a while back they were all tiny trees bound over to posts. He had about 90 varieties tho!

How splendid a French chef cultivating English heritage orchards. That's terroir meets tradition with beautiful intent.

I think 90 would be a bit of a stretch! I’ll stop at 5.

A miniature orchard—how delightful! A philosophical approach: the birds' share ensures next year's bounty.