Plums, Plums, and more plums....

This raggedy plum is what was left from a fruit cocktail tree. It was supposed to be plums, peaches, nectarines, etc. But all the other grafts died and it has only lovely red plum. I'm not really recommending multiple graft trees as I've only had ONE that survived with multiple grafts, and it hasn't borne yet so I'm not really sure what will bear on it. I've planted many multigraft trees that didn't do well.

Anyway, this lovely twisted mess is my favorite plum tree, I pick beautiful red freestone plums on it every year from the porch, and have to duck under the branches as they hang so low when they are heavy with plums. It is underplanted with lilies, hostas, poppies and other plants. I see this plum from my favorite chair in the living room and it is always full of birds and critters.

I have a Santa Rosa dwarf plum to the far left of this one that has its first blossoms on it this year. 

The Santa Rosa plum is also supposed to bear red plums, larger I believe than the ones from the previous tree, and maybe we'll find out this year. This is NOT in a bed and does have some grass around it which is not supposed to be there, I've just not had energy with my 6 surgeries in the last few years to work on the area around it. Tot he right behind it is a large black currant bush that is loaded with buds now.

I have dozens and dozens of American wild plum trees in the back of my old garden near my hazelnut bushes. These have loads and loads of small freestone plums that also are red and about the size of a jawbreaker when ripe. Ron loves these, they aren't much more than a bite, but they are beautiful plums. I have taken pits from these and planted them all over in the woods and along the property lines. They are wonderful for wildlife as well as people and I'm always trying to plant more trees for wildlife.

I also have a tiny little baby plum tree that I got a start from a neighbor, Winn McDanial, but it isn't wanting to  grow well where it is. This one has the small purple plums, different than any we have here, but it is way too small to bear at this time. Maybe someday.