Our Gite Patio Overlooking Sablet, Provence

Back in 2007, my husband and I rented a gite outside of the medieval village of Sablet in Provence, France. A gite is a small furnished vacation house in France, usually in a rural setting. I rented it online, and was drawn to the spectacular setting nestled amongst the grapevines with the stunning lower Rhône Valley before our eyes.

Once a bachelor farmer son’s small stone home upstairs, and where livestock often were conveniently sheltered on the ground floor below, this beautiful little property had been lovingly restored and transformed into a very comfortable gite. I will never forget walking into the stone home and kitchen for the first time, finding a waiting bottle of Rhône wine on the wooden kitchen table, a huge bowl of fresh ripe cherries, and a note to enjoy our stay. I was in heaven.

Since we usually travel to France in the spring, I now always associate Provence in the spring with the fabulous seasonal cherries. So sweet and delicious, perfect fresh or in a light dessert.

Cherries at Apt, Provence, Saturday Market

Experiencing fresh cherries in Provence, I wanted to grow spring cherries in our orchard, but cherries typically need a cool climate, abundant chill hours, not normally trees for Southern California. A few years ago, I found cherry trees suitable for Southern California at Green Thumb Nursery in San Marcos, a retailer for Dave Wilson Nursery.

I bought a Minnie Royal and a Royal Lee, two great Southern California cherry trees necessary to pollenize each other. For some reason, I kept losing the Royal Lee tree, twice in fact, and then once with the Minnie Royal tree. Graciously, Green Thumb Nursery replaced each tree for me. I was beginning to doubt it was possible to grow cherry trees in Southern California.

Minnie Royal Cherries in My Orchard

With persistence, both trees are doing really well now. Last year was my first crop, and now this year, an even bigger cherry crop. I eat them off the tree when gardening. I don’t think they will see my kitchen for a couple of years.

Garden Design Tip: I always enjoy spring nasturtium that reseed and self-sow in my orchard which adds a little color and interest. This year I planted multi-color sweet peas at the base of many of my orchard trees, providing a few small stakes close to the trunk of each tree. The sweet peas responded well, climbing up the stakes, some onto the trees, and sprawling around the base of each tree with pretty color. I was pleased, and will continue to do it next year. You can also plant a climbing rose at the base of your fruit tree, and the rose will use the tree as support as it grows. These ideas are simple, add interest, and dress up an orchard or focal fruit tree.

Royal Lee Cherry Tree on the Left, Minnie Royal Cherry Tree on the Right

Do you have a success story with a fruit tree, or your backyard orchard? Please share!

Bon Appétit and Bon Holiday Weekend….Bonnie

At the risk of going out on a limb, no pun intended, general trends today indicate that we have smaller spaces to garden in, converging with more desire to grow our own food. It is also the age- old adage, "less is more." Here are five space-saving fruit tree techniques to help you maximize growing your own desired fruit.

1) Espalier Fruit Trees on a two-dimensional plane in a pattern on a supporting wall, side of building, or fence. South and west facing direction are best for this. Espaliered fruit trees is one of my favorite styles as well as shapes for my fruit trees. You can either espalier them yourself, or buy them already pattern-established from a nursery or on online.

2) Multi-Variety Fruit Trees are available also from your favorite nursery.  Meaning these fruit trees are already grafted and established with different varieties on one tree. I have a pear tree that has  comice pear, d'anjou pear, and red bartlett pear harmoniously growing together in one tree. This winter, I got  a "4 in 1", which has two types of nectarines and two types of  peach. You  have one tree, but multiple varieties in one tree.

3) High-Density Planting of Fruit Trees. Planting of similar or dissimilar varieties of fruit trees closely together.  For instance, planting four fruit trees 18" to 24" apart in a square shape, in a 10' x 10' area. Requires summer pruning, but gives you the advantage of a possible long and varied fruit season, easy cross-pollination, natural restriction of fruit tree size, and a great appearance. With high-density planting you can create free-form shapes such as gazebos, circles, or as a hedge in a straight line.  Dave Wilson Nursery calls it Backyard Orchard Culture.

4) Limit Your Fruit Tree Size. After purchasing your bare root tree and planting it in your chosen location, cut the top 1/3 of your tree off at a 45 degree angle above a bud. Further trim any side branches or shoots to 6" to encourage new growth. Limiting your fruit tree size initially when planted, will keep your fruit tree small and manageable for maintenance and harvest size.

5) Plant Fruit Trees In Containers. Fruit trees in containers are beautiful, space-saving, and practical for small areas. Use on patios, entrances, and where ever you want to make a statement. Research what fruit trees do best in containers. Citrus trees are a good choice, if you have the climate.

Please share what is your favorite fruit tree in your yard or garden? Please comment if you think about space to harvest ratio in your yard and garden?

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