We visited friends and relatives in Canada. We drove all the way from California, went around many western states and ended up in Vancouver where Greg Neal treated us for a ride up the beautiful Grouse mountain. I budded some of Greg's prize citrus plants. We also drove our van down to Victoria, took a ride in one of the many BC ferries. Truly super-efficient handling of many cars and other vehicles, it took less than 10 minutes to load and unload several hundred cars and more than 1000 passengers! The ferry ride was short. When we got to Swartz Bay Ferry terminal on Vancouver Island, I dropped by at one of Greg Neal's contact, Bob Duncan, in Sidney, BC, Canada. Sidney is located in Vancouver Island and part of the large peninsula where the beautiful Victoria City is also located. We have some friends and relatives over there and we visited many historical places, including the famous Butchart Gardens.

But let us keep this topic related to fruit growing. This Monday, Bob is retiring from his entomology work and will dedicate himself to fruit growing and propagation. He as 3/4 acre planted to fruit trees in his big estate. He has many temperate and subtropical plants aside from citruses. He has ornamental bananas and I have encouraged him to try growing the fruiting edible types. he has pomegranates, avocadoes, as well as plums, pears, apples, apricots, peaches, nectarines, and the cherries which are a major stone fruit of Canada. He has also jujube, figs, kiwi, feiojas, loquats and many other fruit trees.

But keep in mind that none of the trees are taller than 10 ft, he has been training them for ultra-dwarf sizes, even the fig trees, and he uses ultradwarfing rootstocs where possible but he consistently produces big quality fruits. He is planting high-density, often the trees just 2 ft apart, and it works.

This is is Bob Duncan's yard, he obviously have larger areas planted to lan grass, and in-between the trees too, for tidier walk within the fruit trees:


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And he has nice flowers too:


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Ultra-dwarf cherries (Gisela 5 rootstocks) totally enclosed in bird nets:


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Fig trees that are agressively pruned each time a branch has fruited:


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Different kinds of Kiwis planted together in the same area trellis:


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Apples that are planted straight up, just 2 ft apart:


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Or planted diagonally like decorative fences bearing full-size quality fruits:


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It is the same style for all of his fruiting trees, except perhaps for the citruses. But for plums, apricots, pears, peaches, pluots and others, he cultivates them the ultra-dwarf way.


Standing over at an example of a "dream orchard". Gotta have bigger land like the one that Bob has and build one for a hobby. from left to right: My wife, yours truly, and Bob Duncan



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those shots are incredible...I'm wasting my life! sigh...