When we first moved into this house, I wasnt' too happy with the previous owners. They had a big garden in a corner of the yard a few years before and their fertile garden soil was growing weed bunches the size of cabbage heads. It still grows weeds in that area far better than it grows grass. One thing that I did love about them, though, is the amazing variety of fruit trees they kept up. We have a pear tree that is around 25 feet tall and drops massive amounts of pears in the fall. As you can see, they're already getting pretty plump.
On the back fence, covered with roses (which I hate thoroughly--they're too pokey), I found some ugly flowers that I later learned were garlic. I seemed to have pulled this year's garlic crop too early, but last year we used some and it was great.
Also in the back by the shed is what I believe to be the WORLD'S BIGGEST FIG BUSH. I was told it a kumquat tree when we first moved in, but after every cable man, phone guy, and electric company tech told me it was a fig bush, I think I'll believe them. Since we found that out, I've been looking for some Newtons on that tree, but all that grows are these ugly looking fruit. We know absolutely nothing about them and truthfully are kind of scared of them, so each year the birds and squirrels have a fig-feast in our backyard.
My favorite plants by far are the peach trees. We have two of them and another that I think is a nectarine (or maybe apricot) tree. One of the peach trees doesn't produce much but the other is a virtual fruit factory! This tree is LOADED with fruit right now so we're trying to pick them each night after work before they all go bad. These things are great! I love picking one off the tree after I mow the lawn. Visit us any time soon and you can pick some too. In fact, we'll probably try to sluff some off on you!
