Exotic Fruit

"Fruits are like flowers - they speak to us

in provocative language and teach us things that

are hidden" - Frida Kahlo

Horses in a field of marsh mallows

Heavy rain at the tail end of August has left us with greener grass and a host of new weeds!

 

Althaea officinalis

Some, like this grey-leaved mallow which thrives on the marsh, produce attractive flowers similar to lavatera and make you feel as if a second spring has come into bloom.

My book tells me that the roots of this plant were once used to make confectionery, hence the concept of 'marshmallows'... but I don't think we'll be digging up any to try out the recipe. (It's enough that I've just macerated the rest of our basil to make pesto sauce!)

Cherry plums being de-stoned for storing

We soon learned that it's vital to have a decent-sized freezer here in order to cope with nature's generous offerings.

A nearby plum tree, which doesn't seem to belong to anyone, produces quantities of fruit every July - perfect for freezing and using in tarts or crumbles over winter.

With the addition of some star anise, these plums really do taste like sharp cherries and are well worth picking and de-stoning.

The wild tree is also known as Myrobalan plum (Prunus cerasifera) and is one of the first to flower in spring, often starting in mid-February in Europe. Several cultivars have been developed for the garden, including  'Atropurpurea' which has dark foliage and produces purple plums.

White figs

Another favourite for scrumping are the various types of fig which grow locally. We mainly come across brown or black figs which weigh down the branches of garden trees and can make a horrid mess underfoot. 

It's impossible to pick them all and your appetite is usually sated after a couple of weeks of full-on figs. Initially, there's a deep sensual pleasure in plucking a warm, ripe fruit from the branch and tasting its toffee-like interior. So, really, who needs manufactured confectionery??

White figs, on the other hand, seem to have a more bready texture and remind me of eating a jam doughnut. We almost walked past the ones in the picture, thinking they were green and unripe; but Christina noticed that birds had already pecked open a few, revealing sugary pink interiors, and of course we just had to investigate further...

Punica granatum - Pomegranate tree

Pomegranates are also popular in Mediterranean areas and these shrubs or trees produce attractive crimson flowers in spring.

I'm told this is an easy plant to care for and its plump, juicy seeds are highly nutritious, sprinkled over fruit salads and green salads alike. In addition to being packed full of vitamins and antioxidants, the fruit is high in fibre - if we had more sunny spaces in our garden, I'd definitely plant one!

Cydonia oblonga - Quince

Quince is another of those trees which I might consider as part of an orchard but wouldn't want in an ornamental garden.

They don't grow particularly tall but the branches are mis-shapen and pulled down low by its heavy pearlike fruits. Even worse are its leaves which soon blotch and curl, making the tree look even more diseased and deformed.

Quince - providing a perfect still life

However, there is something undeniably beautiful about these fruits, especially when presented on a rustic French plate...

Don't be fooled into thinking they can be eaten raw like the pears they resemble. According to chefs writing on the net, they can be cooked in a variety of ways to soften the hard flesh, turning it pink in colour and releasing the subtle flavours.

Traditionally these fruits have been used to make jelly, as an accompaniment to cheese.

White grapes ripening early

Grapes here are generally grown for making wine or cognac, and for a fortified wine known as 'Pineau' which tastes like a mild port.

Although grapes are mainly white in our area, we also have some red varieties used for Charentais wine. This year's wet spring followed by some very hot days in summer mean grapes have ripened quickly and may be harvested in late September, rather than the usual time of early October.

Unless something drastic occurs, it looks like the Charentais and Bordeaux regions are on course for an excellent vintage - and plenty of it too!

Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle)
- growing unpruned in our village

Exotic Flowers

Late summer sees some of the more Mediterranean trees and shrubs come into bloom.

One of the most eye-catching of these is Crape Myrtle or Indian Lilac, a neat multi-stemmed deciduous tree that can grow up to six meters tall.

The flowers can be white or pink, mauve, purple or carmine - all giving a spectacular display at this time of year when some trees are already starting to lose their leaves.

Nerium oleander

Oleaders have been in bloom for a couple of months now and their spiky evergreen foliage also lends a touch of the tropics to village gardens around here.

We passed a rather sophisticated town house the other day which had nothing but white-flowering oleanders in its front garden: the muted effect was decidedly classy and would be perfect for someone who wanted an easy,  low-maintenance garden. C'est raffiné!

Hibiscus syriacus

In our front garden we inherited a triple-bush of hardy hibiscus, consisting of three different coloured flowers - two types of pink and one of blue. It's been in bloom for over a month now and each flower lasts but a day or two, meaning that it drops an awful lot of shrivelled detritus on the grass around it.

But, apart from that minor irritation, it does give great value in terms of colour and grows happily in a dry and sunny position.

The elegant blue hibiscus

Christina's handiwork with spent lavender

Aaah, even horses love selfies...!