As you know there are a lot of apple orchards around Meaford and Clarksburg. This is the top apple growing area in Ontario. Well, it's time for those trees to bloom, and when you are there at the right time, the blossoms are wonderful! Warning - too many pictures!
Apple blossoms emerge on different varieties of trees at different times, so it takes some time to find a tree like this in full bloom. It's actually difficult to find a tree that you can drive up beside for pictures like this. This one was beside the parking lot at Grandma Lambe's.
We were headed to Clarksburg to order some mulch, and we knew we'd be going past the big high density plantings of Red Prince apples. But we spotted this older orchard with beautiful blooms as we were coming down Frogs Hollow Road, It was exceptional.
In fact we were a little disappointed in the high density Red Prince orchards, and it's a different pattern of blossoms on all the small trees.
But on the way back to Meaford we pulled into Grandma Lambe's and were able to pull right up to this tree, obviously a very old tree that's been pruned heavily over the years.
The blossoms are certainly beautiful.
The bark on an old tree like this one is very scaly, and as you can see it's a big branch.
Then on the way home from physio by the back roads a day later, Mrs. F.G. spotted this patch of white on a distant hillside. We had to go and check it out.
We drove down Grey Road 12 past the 'Canada' barn (you can even pick it out on Google Maps), and turned onto Sideroad 7. We have been here before.
The sight of the blooming apple trees in the distance is tantalizing.
These again are older trees, all in full bloom. We have concluded that the older trees in their widely-spaced style of orchard, actually provide a better blossom show - if you're there at the right time.
Unfortunately this orchard looked like it had not been pruned recently, with all the new stems growing straight up. Perhaps a farm family is getting older and unable to do the work, with no successor, and unable to afford the enormous investment it takes to plant a high density orchard. We hope we won't lose this spot to see apples blossoming.
Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Old apple trees have so much character; unfortunately the new orchards with trees grown on wires won't be full of interestingly-shaped trees although they certainly produce more saleable apples per acre.
ReplyDeleteWonderful apple blossoms, and I too worry about those unpruned trees. I hope someone can rescue them.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a wonderful time of year with all the plants awakening and putting on a show.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous blossoms!
ReplyDeleteThe apple blossoms are so lovely but what really got my attention was that name--Frogs Hollow Road!!
ReplyDeleteI come from and live in a non fruit producing area. It's a treat to see your photos.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see the apple trees in full bloom. We have apple orchards here, but they are mostly hidden away behind high hedges and fences - my own fault perhaps, for stealing so many apples as a schoolboy.
ReplyDeleteThank you for showing us your fabulous blossoms.
ReplyDeleteDoes it get any more beautiful than this?
ReplyDeleteAh, apple pie, applesauce, and apple cider!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous. Photo #8 is breathtaking!
ReplyDeleteIt truly is well into Spring when the apple trees are in bloom. You have lots of great photos there. What a treat it is for we folks at this latitude to see apple blossoms every year. When I lived in B.C.s Okanagan Valley for a few years back in the early 70s I would see large orchards of apple blossoms like you have in your area now.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blooms! Oh my on the untrimmed trees...it is hard work:)
ReplyDelete