It all starts here, with the flowers.
The ume tree in our garden, which we planted over 30 years ago (in the winter of 1982), blossoms much later than the ornamental varieties we see around town. Usually we don't see the beautiful white flowers until the end of February.
That's because it's a productive "working" ume tree.
Each year we look forward to the blossom, for its delicate beauty — and subtle perfume — in the depth of winter. Not for nothing have ume trees (along with pine and bamboo) been dubbed one of the "three companions of the deep cold".
Of course, we are also hoping that as many of the flowers as possible will pollinate and form into buds...
It is only after the fruit buds have formed — by mid-March (above) they are well visible — that the leaves emerge.
Slowly those buds swell, shaded now by the fresh young leaves (below: mid-April)...
…and develop into proper fruit.
By the beginning of June they are plumping up nicely, and getting quite hard to find in among all that foliage.
As soon as the rains start to move in, they will be ready to harvest...
