It is the time of year when it really does become all about hope.
I stand in front of the Quince Brothers and gaze at the smooching blossom buds. I see how much they love each other and try to protect each other. The acid-lime green of the foliage peels slowly away from the white-dusted sepals that keep the developing blossoms safe from the frost, keeping them wrapped and cosy until it is their time to open.
It is not yet time for the blossoms to emerge, but the Quince Brothers are often one of the earliest of my fruit trees to start to flower. I start to watch them anxiously as we move into April as we can have frost until mid-April. The longer the Quince Brothers can wait before flowering the better their chances are of not being damaged and maybe - just maybe - achieving a quince or three.
So here I am waiting, almost patiently, to see what the next month will bring. Both brothers are covered in goodly amounts of potential blossom and I see this as a good sign. Regular readers will recall I did prune both trees whilst they had their Winter snooze which has made me wonder if this year it would limit their chances of success.
More followed trees can be found here under the stewardship of Squirrelbasket.
Take care and be kind.
