Pundles first real conkers

There must be something about this year for firsts, at least in the tree department. The best apple crop ever with the prospect that some may even qualify as dessert apples and now a small but very definite conker harvest.

A large Horse Chestnut stood in the back garden of our north London home in the mid-1980s. On arriving at Pundles in 1988 we were accompanied by four fruits from that majestic tree. They had been potted up and stood little more than 12” high. All four grew and the largest is now some 18’ high, but heaven forbid the one just outside the kitchen door should reach its reputed 80’ or more. Elsewhere I’m sure it would be twice the height, but just as with everything thing else, nature evolves slowly at Pundles. Nor is this the ideal climate for a horse chestnut which lacks the capacity to move with the wind. Its soft, weak and brittle branches crack easily with the force of the wind and its leaves to the west are soon stripped to the vein. We have lost many branches to high winds over the years, but somehow the tree survives.

The last couple of postings appear to have diverted a little from culinary affairs, but nature and growth is not far removed and these diversions will appear from time to time.