Green gage

My green gage is flowering, it is the first of the plums I have planted to come into flower this year.  The others that were planted as two year old pot grown will flower this year as will the Haganta which was planted as a one year old maiden last year.  The wild plums at the back of the orchard are also coming into flower so there should be enough pollen for the insects to spread.  I am going to build a bee hotel in the hope of encouraging solitary bees to make a home there.  I will need all the pollinators I can encourage in the coming years, if the orchard is to thrive and produce well.

The greengage was planted as a two year old pot grown tree two years ago this coming June it has taken very well and I is now strong enough to be left with any fruit that it sets.  I hope it sets fruit, plums are my favourite fruit and these green plums are one of the best.  

The blue plastic drainage pipe around the trunk of the tree doesn't look good but it's a very effective rabbit guard for a thickening trunk.  From this distance the flowers aren't very visible, especially as most aren't fully open.  I expect the flowering to be much better next year as there will be a sufficient quantity of two year old wood by then.  I'll take more pictures of this tree when it is in full leaf.