Quite a Plethora of Quince Fruit

Did you guess quince was going to be my 'pucker up' fruit of the week from my Facebook posting? If you you are right! If not, that's okay, it was a hard one. On the Facebook page for my professional business AND this blog, I appreciate all of you who have liked that page and I enjoy hearing from you on there! Even if I am not posting on the blog I am oftentimes posting little tips and tidbits from the garden on the Facebook page. So thanks!

I have posted about my EXTRAORDINARY quince before but wow, I had no idea it would get better and better! This 'Texas Scarlet' shrub has gifted me with a bushel of quince this year. The only problem is I have not gotten around to picking them before the branches sag to the ground. Things are getting a bit ahead of me in the garden but that is a story for another day.

Today I just want to show you the bounty. Any food you can grow is definitely a benefit. Although quince is not the best fruit for fresh eating it can be cooked in pies and jellies. That is what I plan to do! I love looking at the fruit bearing shrub too.

Some friends came over and I got them to pick a few quince for their very own. I did not see their faces when they bit into the tart fruit but I bet the experience is one they will never forget....

in the garden....

Give all quince some sun and good soil and they too will reward you for many years. This type of quince is actually an ornamental quince in the Chaenomeles family. The true quince is Cydonia. I am growing two Cydonia trees at the farm so I will post on them once they begin producing. Normally, at least in my experience, ornamental quince do not have this many fruit on them if any at all. Perhaps this 'Texas Scarlet' is a female and just very happy in its spot. Which is part shade to mostly shade, and poor dry soil. It is a gem for sure to grow so many fruit with such conditions.

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

A White Winter Flowering Quince and Whitney

I spoke of my three quince shrubs in Friday's post but only posted pictures of the two red quince. I thought today's post would spotlight a white quince. Once upon a time I didn't even know what a quince was let alone that they come in a variety of colors including white. Then one year while visiting the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show I found a vendor who had several pots of white flowering quince called 'Jet Trail' (Chaenomeles speciosa 'Jet Trail'). Quince blooms right around the time of the Lawn and Garden Show so this small shrub that was in full bloom was a big hit with customers--including me. Jet Trail has now graced my garden for about four years and is doing well. 


I find that this quince is a much smaller quince than the two red flowering quince I showed you on Friday. Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants says Jet Trail is a sport of 'Texas Scarlet' (a cultivar I also grow) and that Jet Trail grows to three feet and is a spreading shrub. I have my Jet Trail planted along a rear boundary fence and I'll attest to its small but spreading stature. The location I grow my Jet Trail in is an area under trees but the shrub does get afternoon sun--perhaps 3-6 hours a day. The soil is very poor and the conditions rather dry. I have not had to prune or water Jet Trail at all. It is a nice addition to my rather wild garden and is located in an out of the way area so I am not bothered by its thorns. I always think that no matter how pretty quince are in the spring the thorns are a major drawback for me. Do you all feel that way too? Someday I'll probably remove my quince due to all the thorns. The roses might also go away if they keep clawing me when I give them their annual haircut--which is right now. Nonetheless I keep this white flowering quince....


in the garden....

Those of you who are of a certain age (over 30 or so) will remember Whitney Houston. The world lost her this weekend all too soon. She was only 48 when she passed. Her voice was, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest of all time and her songs and movies, especially The Bodyguard, will forever be remembered as will she. Here is one of my ALL TIME favorite songs. Enjoy.    




Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Plant of the Month-April 2010

From In the Garden

My choice for this month's Plant of the Month is Flowering Quince. The choice was difficult for me because the daffodils are absolutely outstanding this year, as are the star magnolias and the kerrias, but it finally had to come down to length of bloom and impact in the garden.

The quince are the earliest flowering blooming shrubs in my garden next to the witch hazels. And while I find the witch hazels to be a bit fickle, the quince never fails to bloom and bloom big. They are the red shrubs you see all around town and boy do they shine. I can't think of another red blooming shrub so the quince really stands out. If you can think of one that blooms in the spring let me know. The red is most welcomed this time of year.

There are several different cultivars available and you can find quince flowering in shades of oranges, pinks, reds, and whites. In my garden I grow three types: Chaenomeles japonica 'Rubra' (pictured above), Chaenomeles speciosa 'Texas Scarlet' (which fruited last year!), and Chaenomeles x superba 'Jet Trail' (a white flowering type). All three are reliable and easy to grow plants in my garden; which is sun challenged. That being said though, quince would really like full sun. Quince does not seem to be picky about soil and can tolerate drought well. They can grow rather large (8'-10' tall and wide) and need some room to spread for best effect. There is one down side to these shrubs, they have thorns. Like most fruiting plants (think raspberries, blackberries and gooseberries) these plants grow thorns which are probably to help protect the fruit but ouch if you are trying to weed around a quince. Be sure to site your plant accordingly.

What is your choice Plant of the Month in your garden?

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,

In the Garden

'Texas Scarlet' Flowering Quince Bears Fruit and Plant Sale

Talk about pleasant and unexpected surprises-look at what I found in the garden! Can you recognize it? Surely it is easy right? Okay, maybe not so easy. The fruit pictured above is a 'Texas Scarlet' quince. I know it looks an awful lot like an apple but take my word for it, it is a quince.

I had no idea when I planted two quince (Chaenomeles speciosa 'Texas Scarlet' and Chaenomeles japonica 'Rubra') three years ago that they would actually bear fruit. Well, one of them did anyhow. The real shocker is this plant is only about two feet tall and grows in an out of the way spot that is somewhat shaded. I bet it does not receive more than two-three hours of direct sun so the fact it bore fruit is a real treat.

I liked these plants because they have such red flowers at a time in early spring when no other red blooming shrub is around. You simply cannot miss the red flowers. I never knew fruit would actually come from them-well duh me. Now I am wondering if all those huge specimens I see around town are loaded with fruit and I think I'll be checking this out soon.
I really was not sure if the fruit was ripe since I've never grown these and did not expect any fruit, but that fact did not stop me from picking the fruit and cutting it open and tasting it. I must say the fruit is very hard and a quite tart-extremely tart. I do think it would make a good jelly but quince are not good eating fruits in my opinion. I did find out later that ripe quince fruits are yellow-so I think I picked mine at the perfect time. It still amazes me I never saw it before.

I saved the seeds and may try to start some more 'Texas Scarlet' from the seeds. I hope next year my 'Rubra' will add to the mix by producing fruit too. Just this past year I added a white flowering quince to the garden as well. It is 'Jet Trail' and I believe it is a species type quince so I expect it will set fruit at some point in time as well-I hope so.

Any experiences with quince fruiting?

in the garden....

Public Service Announcement: Everyone in the local area please make time to visit the Montgomery County Master Gardeners Plant Sale tomorrow from 8 am-? at Veteran's Plaza on Madison Street. It is a sale you DO NOT want to miss-take it from me, a passionate plant collector this is a must see sale for some of the best plants for our area at low prices.

Bloom Day-March 09

Camellia sasanqua, unknown cultivar. This is also the camellia that has a sport/variegation on the foliage.
This is a long shot of the camellia pictured above. The camellias are actually red, though it appears they are pinkish in the first picture. One of these days I'll figure out how to use photo editing stuff-maybe:)

White camellia sasanqua. Not sure the cultivar.

Hyacinths. Taken inside the house looking out the kitchen window.

Hellebore. AKA Lenten Rose.

Forysthia. Unknown cultivar.

Siberian Scilla, Scilla sibirica.

Hellebore.

Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain'. Note the hairy flower. I find this plant very interesting and an awesome addition to any shade garden. The foliage is evergreen. 'Diane Clare' is also blooming.

Hellebore. Can you tell I'm liking-no make that loving-the hellebores this year?

Crocuses. 'Giant Mixed'.

Flowering quince. Chaenomeles japonica 'Rubra'. 'Texas Scarlet', and 'Jet Trail' (a white cultivar) are also blooming.

An amaryllis; a gift from my father two years ago. This one must be an Easter amaryllis because it always blooms in time for Easter.

I checked last March's Bloom Day post; which was the first one I ever posted. All of these flowers were blooming but some are added, such as the camellia and hyacinths. Also, I had a tree peony blooming last year, and primroses in the garden. While I do have a tree peony this year it is not blooming, and I did not buy primroses since they simply do not last more than one season here in my Tennessee garden.

The begonias I posted on last month's Bloom Day, have failed miserably for me. I think I gave them too much water and attention. I need to remember that in the future.

Also blooming but not pictured are: pansies, vinca, Glory of the Snow, Flowering Almond, aka Prunus glandulosa 'Rosea Plena', red geraniums (inside the house under grow lights), and muscari (last year the muscari were way ahead of this year's blooms).

If my records are right and the weather is similar to last year's, folks in this area can expect the tulips to bloom around the end of the month, along with the redbuds, crabapples, bleeding hearts, and verbena 'Homestead'. Already in Clarksville the amount of plants blooming is amazing. I have noticed: 'Bradford' pears, some cherries, magnolias, and many forsythias. It is looking lovely....

in the garden....