Another gorgeous day in April. My neighbour Maddie and I set off for the Conservatoire at Puycelci. This is a living museum of old species of fruit trees and vines. It was set up by the then Mayor of the village in 1986. It has now saved hundreds of old variaties of apples, pears, cherries and vines for the future. None of the varieties grown here are available commercially in supermarkets. One can buy directly from the orchards when the fruit is in season. From the orchards there is a wonderful view of Puycelci perched up above the orchards.
It is Apple Blossom time and the trees are entrancing, and it makes your heart sing to see such beauty and perfection.
The old traditional French way of training trees to behave and grow as required is to put stones on rope or string and attach them to the young branches. This has been done here to save space and make the trees easier to manage. Many of the younger trees have little cement weights hanging from the branches. They are in the shape of fairy cakes or muffins and I can imagine the gardener, or the gardener's wife, pouring cement in little moulds to make these weights.
It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon and we will be back for apple juice and apples later in the year.
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