Friday 4 May 2012

humble beginnings ... leccino olive

As a gardener, I have to confess something.  I can be incredibly impatient.  I dream of Disney sized garden budgets and mature specimen plants.  When you're on a limited gardening budget, this remains a dream.  But there is something endearing about humble starts.  As some of you may know, I managed to get a wonderful little leccino olive tree last weekend at the Van Dusen Botanical Garden plant sale.  The idea of growing olives this far north is not a new one.  Check out a ten year old olive grove on North Pender Island BC.

(Taken from olivetrees.ca)

When researching how and where to site my young olive tree I was given one piece of advice that I have to admit almost stopped me right in my tracks.  "Don't plant anything within one meter of the tree."  Yikes.  My hopes and dreams for a mediterranean garden makeover would be on hold for a couple of years while the tree matures.  So started the hunt for the perfect terra cotta pot... until yesterday.  I was out planting some herbs in planter boxes and before I knew it, I had shovel in hand, and the tree was going in.


I just love the foliage on olive trees.  Now I have to hope for a hot summer and mild winter...


I strongly suggest anyone thinking of growing an olive in the PNW visiting the Oregon Olives website.  

2 comments:

  1. I had hopes for the hardy olives I had seen on that Oregon site as well as read about elsewhere. Then came the last 2 winters...

    So, I wish you plenty of good fortune in trying that one out. And plenty of 30C +/- days and sun!

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    1. thanks! Apparently olives in Vancouver have faired well over the last couple of winters so that is promising. I can get a few degrees cooler because I'm inland from the ocean. Luckily, that also increases the frequency with which I see those nice hot days. I'll see how this one does.

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