Planting Trees Pays Off Sooner Than You Might Think

Trees take decades to grow to maturity, but that does not mean that they cannot offer anything before they get there. I have planted a lot of fruit trees in my garden – apples, apricots, peaches, limes, kaffir limes, olives, figs, hazelnuts, and sweet chestnuts. The last two for the wood.

We have been back here for six years and most of these trees are much younger than that. Already I have hazelnut twigs that I can use as support for my rambling pea plants. The Bramley and Peasgood Nonesuch give me enough cooking apples to fill a dozen jars with stewed apple to see me through winter. I get a couple of weeks' worth of eating apples (I am ashamed to say I cannot remember the name of the variety, but they are crisp and tart and fairytale red, though they do not store well). The stone fruits are slow to start and this might be the first year I get fruit, as I have seen a lot of blossom. But the lime has surprised me, furnishing fruit for gin and tonics and guacamole within only three years of planting.

There are old trees on this property too: a lemon, plums, and two types of pears. I often think of whoever had the foresight to plant these. Now that they are at maturity, they produce far more than we can consume, so we give a lot away.

Trees bring joy at all stages of their life and it brings me joy that many of them will be here long after I am gone.