9th May 2022 - Tree following Mulberry 'Black Lady'

After a lacklustre April, May is finally warming up and giving us some much needed sunshine and the trees are all coming to life. 

As I mentioned in my post about my fruit trees, I've decided to join the Tree Following movement and have chosen my potted Mulberry 'Black Lady' to follow - you can find out all about tree following and follow some other beautiful trees here. 

Mulberry 'Black Lady' - three years old

We have a line of potted fruit trees in terracotta pots down one side of the patio, creating a visual boundary between the patio and the rose garden. The rest of the rose garden is surrounded by trellis/fence and climbers but we didn't want the patio to feel too closed in so a tree screen is a perfect compromise. Currently we have the mulberry, a fig, a cherry on dwarf rootstock and a patio quince. Next year I'm planning to add an apricot and a nectarine. 

Clusters of new leaves

Deeply lobed leaves on the mulberry

I love growing unusual or heritage varieties of trees, flowers, fruit and vegetables and I bought the mulberry as an anniversary present for my husband a few years ago. It has a much more compact habit than other mulberries, and is designed to be grown in a container, and should fruit earlier (four to five years rather than 10+). It is a very sweet little tree-let at the moment. No blossom, but beautifully shaped young leaves. I'm looking forward to watching it grow. 

Happy gardening.