James Grieve

At 6:30 am, the sun comes over the fence and lights up our orchard. Walking through the orchard at this time of the morning, with the sun highlighting the ripening fruit is a real joy.

'Orchard!' I hear you exclaim, 'Oh how posh, get Mart!'

I must confess, orchard is a rather grandiose title for our 5 dwarf fruit trees.

But according to DEFRA, 5 fruit trees constitute an orchard. Last year we had a first crop of 3 apples, 1 pear and 2 plums. This years harvest promises to be at least as good!

In other exciting news... we finally have a new neighbour. Next door has been empty for months since our 92 yr old surrogate great grandfather decided could not put up with Dozy girl's clarinet playing any more he needed to be nearer his family.

I have not really met him yet, but I did manage a wave as I saw him peer through the curtains at 6:45 whilst I was lying on my back, sodden with dew, trying to point a camera at the sky whilst being mugged and slobbered by 2 labradors.

Who said men cannot multi-task!

EDIT: The Head Gardener has just informed me we did not get 1 pear last year.