Strawberry Tree
Since moving to Washington, I have discovered a great number of new trees. One of my favorites is the Strawberry Tree ( Arbutus unedo ). It is a four-season tree with semi-glossy evergreen leaves and lovely mahogany bark. In autumn, clusters of white flowers appear, bearing a resemblance to Lily-of-the-Valley flowers. And then there are the little fruits, which resemble strawberries that appear at the same time as the flowers. I am not sure why, but I have only seen a few fruits on ours. I don't know if birds are getting them before I see them or what happens. The fruits are said to be edible but not very tasty (to humans). This year, our tree is loaded with flowers, the most I've ever seen. Bees absolutely love it and so do the hummingbirds. The flowers usually continue to appear straight through winter, and it can be blooming even during the coldest periods of winter. Aside from the fact that I have not seen much of the colorful fruits, the major negative note is the fact tha
Oh!!! I hope I win!! hahaha Thanks Philip! I need chickens here on the mountain for sure!
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted chickens. I can't have them here but I still like to read about them. There is a magazine about chickens. I buy it every once in awhile. Sigh~~ This is as close to owning chickens as I will ever get I would imagine.
ReplyDeleteI want to win! Looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteI was on the edge of getting 2 chickens this yeat and found out we can't have them. I'm on 2/3 acre so plenty of room and only wanted a couple. I might just get them anyway! Carol
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads-up about the Chickens book!
ReplyDeleteMargaret
Two in the Nest
Thank you, Phillip. I 'LIKED' it and it went to our facebook fanpage to help spread the word.
ReplyDeleteDave from HomeandGarden911.com
GRIT magazine has a lot on chickens. In trying to get more natural foods w/o the chemicals, I've been locking for the movable chicken coop and pen out of Mother Earth News I bought before my move back to the farm and haven't been able to find. Wonder how long chickens will last around my hooligans? Levi landed back in the shelter for chasing some ones prized chickens. Mary
ReplyDeleteThe chicken garden book looked interesting so I ordered one from Amazon. I tried to convince my wife that we needed some garden chickens but got vetoed. The book is a fun read anyway.
ReplyDeleteHere in Tulsa we have had so many warm days that the trees are beginning to bud out and my jonquils are up and ready to bloom. I keep trying to tell them that it's a trick but they aren't listening. Last year at this time we had 20 inches of snow and bitter cold. Who knows what the summer will bring. I enjoy your blog. Happy gardening.