On Valentines Day, I woke up early, picked some fresh flowers: pentas, pink roses, starburst.
I put together a couple of champagne glasses and filled one with roses, one with pentas and starburst and one with pink roses.
I placed a card for the three girls in my life beside each flower arrangement, along with a small gift appropriate for each.
They loved it, and so did I to see their reactions. My generosity was rewarded with an offer to accompany me to my favourite rare fruit tree nursery, Excalibur Rare Fruit Trees. I wanted to buy an Eugenia stipitata, but everyone there frowned and asked why I would want that, its so sour and you can't eat it by itself.
This is the reason I love this place, one of the guys took me and my 3 girls on a golf cart on a personal tour. He showed us (and let us taste one of the few on his small tree) a rare pink lime that tastes like a kumquat, some Meyer lemons that are so mild you can eat it just like that, some variegated pink lemons, black sapote ....
It was a hard decision, I was thinking of getting an Atemoya, but since I already have a Sugar Apple (and its so similar), my wife said "We really need a lemon tree", so we opted for the meyer lemon. I chose this little guy here, already full of lemons, it only grows into a smallish bush, perfect for the spot I reserved for it. I decided to move the jaboticaba from wind alley to a less windy spot and will plant the meyer lemon in that spot as its more wind tolerant.
After we returned from our tour, he offered tastings of Black Sapote - it really tastes like dark chocolate pudding, 2 different sapodilla varieties. My previous experience with sapodilla was not memorable - in fact, I had made up my mind I don't like it. He managed to change my mind, I now have a spot in mind for a "cinnamon pear" sapodilla. I think the spot I have been reserving for a pool will be taken up by a sapodilla soon.
I am so utterly jealous that you have such a nursery near you!!! You will love the meyer lemon...and, isn't it so interesting the huge variance in taste between cultivars?
ReplyDeleteIf you ever need to mail order anything some of my favorite nurseries are Pine Island Nursery, Withman Farms & Just Fruits & Exotics. They are honest, fairly priced, and pack their stuff as if the boxes contained a live puppy...the are all superb and knowledgeable and truly stand by their products...have fun with your new family member! ☺
Gardening Fool,
ReplyDeleteYes, we are really privileged here in South Florida, apart from my favourite rare tree nursery, we also frequently get great plants at our local Home Depot and Lowe's. In fact, before I discovered Excalibur, I bought a lychee, valencia pride mango, lancetilla mango, longan and two avocado trees at Lowe's. Both avocado's succumbed to phytophora rot - luckily they have a year warranty and I got a full refund on one tree ( I lost the other receipt).
I bought a Choquette avocado at Excalibur, so far its looking good - holding thumbs it makes it through the new year.
Nice! I think two avocados are always better for fruit production, hope you still have another one in your garden so you can maximize your crop. I am so jealous! I LOVE avocados but they grow pretty large and I'd need at least two so I can't grow them. :-(
ReplyDelete