Pink Fleshed Apples & Mini Orchards

Back in 2012 I had the most amazing fresh salad in San Diego California and I've been in love ever since. "Pink Pearl" thin apple slices with blue cheese, honey and diced almonds, candied kumquats - just amazing. If you read my blog, you can see I love unique edibles, beautiful fruit and vegetables, pink-fleshed apples are high on that list. Regular apples are pretty great, and I have two espaliered apple trees with over 15 grafted varieties, but nothing as showy as "Pink Pearl" or "Surprise".

There are actually dozens of pink and red fleshed apples and only a few of those have actually been fully domesticated and none of them have been altered in a lab or dyed. Check this site for a list of many pink fleshed apples. with Many wild type apples are actually pink fleshed, and over time farmers and orchard industry bred out the pink and started feeding the demand for larger white crisp apples. Today consumers know nothing more then a few varieties and expect white fleshed apples in pies and baked goods, clear golden apple juice and only recognize a few varieties based on either, green, red or yellow fruit skin. 

Pink and red fleshed apples are more then just a novelty, they taste great and with a range of varieties within the realm of pink apples there are just as many varieties for all one's cooking needs. I would love to have a grafted pink fleshed apple tree, and one day that will be a reality. The Micro-Orchard, is always on my mind - who doesn't love fruit! The Toronto botanical garden's has an adorable double row of espalier apple trees with long meadow grass, wild flowers and clumps and daffodils and tulips. I would just add a beehive or two and maybe some heritage ducks.

Silver Appleyard Ducks

I mean look at this! Wow! It's compact, lots of forage for bees and with grafted trees you
can grow dozens of varieties. I can just picture a small flock of Welsh Harlequin Ducks
or Silver Appleyard... Appleyard's being the most fitting by name.

Down the row view of the trees, nice clean mulch and once the spring blooms are done,
just mow the centre patch for easy access to the trees, I can also imagine a beehive down the centre.

These were also at the Toronto Botanical Gardens, they would look lovely amongst the daffodils,
that pop of pink that references back to the apple blossoms themselves. Very inspired 

I'm so inspired by the varieties of apples available today and it makes me want to design a space just for them, and that's how it should be. Each plant is a unique paint colour in a painter's pallet. Something about pink apples turns my mind to Monet impressionist paintings, white fences, pastel yellow, lavender and pink. Blue skies and fluffy white clouds, and a basket full of fresh fruit, apple skin ranging from dark reds to green, pink, soft yellow, red-pinks and those with green splashes.

What makes something an orchard?

     or·chard 

              ôrCHərd/ noun

              a piece of land planted with fruit trees

Well that sounds simple, and I honestly think it is. You need a bit of land and some fruit trees, and let's not over-think it. Fruit trees have been grown with and without technology, and successfully for hundred's of years. At a relatively inexpensive cost you could easily start one and enjoy a basket of apples within a few years and cherries even sooner. For the last 3-4 years I've seen grafted trees available and espaliered trees even at places like Canadian Tire and Home Depot, Costco even had an amazing grafted cherry tree. Espalier trees are also perfect for tight spaces against fences, houses and shed walls.

Here's an example of two espalier trees in a raised bed like set-up and strawberries
lining the front, I'm not sure about the dimensions of this bed, but I'm guessing its about 12-15ft by 4ft.

Get out of my dreams and into my yard.

Pink fleshed apples are certainly on my ultimate Wish List.... I need more room! Stick around the blog for an update on my grafted apple trees and maybe a grafted cherry tree this spring!