Fruit at Pisa Botanical Gardens

There were quite a few green ponds

I wonder if these beds used to be full of plants?

Apricot - Prunus armeniaca.

Kiwi fruit leaves - Actinidia deliciosa and loquats - Erybotrya japonica.

Lots of signs to help identify the species.

The wide-leaved lime and an unknown fluffy shrub.

I'm 40 today. It feels really weird writing that. I don't feel it at all. Apart from my aching arthritic hip and the fact that I nearly had an asthma attack after jiving with my husband at the Jubilee Jive last week. That's never happened before! Continuing our tour of the botanic gardens in Pisa we came across a long border against a sunny wall with a variety of fruit trees and shrubs. It was a thrill to see so many well established, exotic fruit trees growing outside. If it wasn't for the signs I wouldn't have been able to identify many of them. I have never seen a loquat tree before. Also known as the Japanese or Chinese plum. They are unusual because they produce flowers in the autumn and early winter. The small downy, orange fruits were ripe when we visited in early June. I have a habit of climbing trees in pursuit of a tasty treat but I managed to restrain myself on this occasion. The flavour is a mix of peach, citrus and mild mango. In Mexico the fruits are placed on alters as offerings to the spirits of the deceased on the Day of the Dead holiday. I love that there is so much to discover, so much that is completely new to me, so much more out there that I have yet to find. If anyone knows what the white, fluffy shrub is in the last photo I would love to know.

Loving apples

Wouldn't it be lovely if all our parks and empty fields were full of different varieties of apple trees. And instead of grabbing a plastic bag filled with sweaty red apples from the other side of the world, we would instead go out on a sunny day to reach for fresh fruit with the finest blushed skin.
Illustration by Chris Watson. Visit The Fruit Tree Project.

Old town 5th November

Pictures taken with my phone. Purple, red, yellow, green and white bursts of colour; just like fireworks.