The green and rolling countryside of Worcestershire, England, is home to the cider apple orchards which surround the gardens of Pear Tree Cottage. They enjoy a sunny south westerly aspect with sweeping views across to Martley Hillside, Woodbury and Abberley clock tower. The Teme Valley lies just over the hill and, not far away, is the Herefordshire border. Although our climate is temperate, our seasons are often uncertain and always a challenge to a gardener! This began in 2010 & follows the weekly ups and downs of garden work chronicling both successes and failures but, above all, demonstrates the fun enjoyed by three people who regularly garden in all weathers

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31 October 2016

Growing Gold!

Crocus sativus - saffron crocus



 As weird as it sounds, I harvested my very first saffron stigmas! So far only 3 as only one flower has opened. However: this is the world's most expensive spice and gram for gram  more expensive than gold.

In 2014, a single gram, (that’s 0.035 of an ounce) of this sought-after spice was selling for up to £75, making saffron more expensive than gold.  The reason for this is the fact that each flower has only 3 stigmas and harvesting these precious stigmas is so laborious.  Strange that we eat this crocus when the corms, seeds and leaves of the Autumn crocus (colchicum) are deadly poisonous.

With only 6 corms, somehow I don't think I'm going to be an overnight millionaire! However, I might have enough for a very small dish of saffron potatoes!

                                                                                                 Anyone for dinner?

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