You may remember that I brought five edible olive trees ( as opposed to olive oil, olive trees) back from Greece in my car last year. I planted them at the top of the top field which goes from the new orchard up to the graveyard. I had feared that a cold Welsh winter had killed them off. But….
I have now strimmed around all five trees as I have cleared a path to the end of the field where there is a large elderflower bush whose flowers I shall harvest this weekend to make elderflower cordial and champagne. I have also strimmed around the sweet chestnut and mulberry trees I have planted on the far side of this field and at the bottom and the good news is that they are all alive as are two mountain ash saplings gifted to me by my pal Dave the conspiracy theorist from Chester zoo. Two of the chestnuts are actually flourishing and I am now bringing all the trees, all now sitting in grass and weed free zones, watering cans of water each night. After a long dry spell they seem to appreciate that.
Only two of the olives actually have leaves at this point but I am sure that with water from me and glorious Welsh sunshine from God that will change. But all have shoots coming up from the base as you can see below. So they are alive! I had written them off but I am now hopeful that they will grow strong enough to brush off the next Welsh winter and to really flourish in 2024.
