While we were still living in Mosman Park a friend gave us as banana plant. We popped it in the front garden but it never did very well (perhaps too close to strong sea breezes, who knows) and when we moved to where we are now we decided to take it with us.
We planted it in the back garden near a huge lemon tree that was already there and the banana grew beautifully and we were rewarded with many large bunches of bananas. These bananas were not the type you normally find in the shops here, but were in fact lady fingers or sugar bananas. Whatever their name, they were delicious. Photos one and two were taken in 1989 and the third earlier in 1987. You can actually see a few of the lemons in the first picture.
In the above photo I am standing in front of an elderberry tree. Phil had planted it with the idea of making elderberry wine (as they did in the good old days in England) but, although it flowered ... which you can see in the photo, it didn't set any berries. We realised that perhaps cross pollination was needed so no elderberry wine for us as we only had the one tree. I think eventually either the elderberry tree became poorly or Phil just gave up as I know that tree finally disappeared.
In these two photos (which I borrowed from a website about sugar bananas) it shows more clearly how the plants multiply and also where bananas are forming above the flower with baby bananas just forming lower down.
How wonderful to live in an area where you can grow your own bananas.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering why we ever stopped growing them. Perhaps seek out a plant at the nursery and begin again.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteOh yyyuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... The imported bananas that are being offered here in Scotland leave a lot to be desired; often bruised and over-ripe due to gassing and such. Oh for a bunch of nanas straight from the stem.....sigh.....
Hope your week is going along well Mimsie. YAM xx
Nothing like home grown bananas Yam. You would however have other home grown delights in Scotland we don't have in Perth.
DeleteWeek went reasonably well and all coming good albeit slowly. xx
I got a great shot of a beautiful bloom in a local golf course.
ReplyDeleteI should plant one. :)
Yes, perhaps you should. Why not?
DeleteWow. Bananas straight from the tree - and particularly lady fingers would be blissful.
ReplyDeleteHaving read about it for years I would love to try eldeberry wine. I am sorry that you and Phil couldn't achieve it.
I am thinking of bananas again as they are very good for you in moderation. Have to watch the sugar content if too ripe.
DeleteWe were disappointed about the wine too so back to the bottle shop it was.
How lucky to grow your own bananas! We did too, for a while. When I was first married, we lived in Brisbane, in one of those raised off the ground houses with three stands of bananas in the backyard. They soon had bunches of bananas and we were told to cut them while green and hang them under the house to ripen. Well, we cut. And we hung. And then we forgot about them. Until they stank so badly we could smell them through the floorboards. We were more careful the next summer, but the tree didn't produce as many bananas.
ReplyDeleteYes you do cut them while green, as seen on the bunch I am holding. We would hang them under the pergola to ripen.
DeleteOoh, the smell of rotting bananas would not be one I'd enjoy. Glad you were able to use some the following summer. They may have been Queensland bananas and not the lady finger variety but still all delicious.
That is such a nice picture of you holding the bananas. How lovely to be able to grow one in your garden. The only one I have seen is at the botanical garden in Washington DC. I remember elderberry wine but not sure if it was one my dad made. He enjoyed making his own wines.
ReplyDeleteThank you Denise for your compliment.
DeleteI believe Phil's folks made various types of wine and I was sorry we were unable to do so. I don't think people in Perth make wine, more likely to be home brew beer.
Oh what memories of banana growing you brought back Mimsie. Cavendish (in the shops bananas) can only be grown by certified growers so in my day it was 'lady fingers' or 'sugars'. I much prefer cavendish myself!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the new week dear lady.
Hi Rose...having just consumed a shop bought banana I think I do prefer them to the sugar bananas we grew but it was still quite something to grow our own over the years, and they were free.
DeleteHope your week is a good one too.
Thank you for posting pictures. This Californian has consumed bananas all his life --bought from the produce market-- but has never seen a banana actually happening. I am indelibly delighted!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the picture show Geo. Bananas are quite fascinating to watch grow, rather spectacular in fact.
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