August rushes on and despite some cooler, more ‘typical’ temperatures this week in our corner of Scotland, so many garden-highlights are SO early. I’ve decided to focus on fruit for my #SixOnSaturday this week, because apples and pears are ripening about 3 weeks earlier than usual. I’ll also show off my figs, yet again, because the outdoor fig trees have yielded almost a dozen fruit between them. I’ve never seen anything like it.

So, here you another delicious looking ‘brown turkey’ fig, almost ready to eat. grown outdoors in Scotland. Go for it folks!

In contrast, here are the fruit from a tree that is possibly over 200 years old. A pear tree grows against the south facing wall of the house and I like to think it might have been planted when the house itself was new. I don’t know the variety, they are delicious but have the annoying habit of all ripening at once. Perhaps I’ll find time to try some jam making this weekend.

I think my garden is probably partly an old orchard. There are 10 apple trees, only one of them planted about 20 years ago, the others — ancient! The varieties are also unknown, although the trees were planned by someone with knowledge as each tree’s fruit ripens in succession. The first (and largest) tree has already dropped 90% of its fruit, the others are just starting. By now, we pick up windfalls at the rate of a bucket per day! This one isn’t quite ready yet, has a thick skin, so can be stored for a while.

A few years ago, a storm took out 70% of one apple tree, leaving a 1m stump. The tree has somehow regenerated and offers a pale green fruit.

This year, most trees are simply heaving with apples. The branches are weighed down really close to the ground, as you can see here. This variety have a dark red skin and pink flesh, making a very pretty juice.

Last, but very much not least, there are several cooking-apple trees, some of which will hold fruit until November. great for autumn puddings, sour juice and to share with hungry birds.

That’s my fruitful six for the week. It’s calm and quiet outside this Saturday morning, a great time to go tidy up the latest windfall fruits. Thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, it’s a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot