One of the unexpected delights of the Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden is the fruit produced in the garden.
The fruit trees in the Sensory Garden include three varieties of apple tree (Gala, Orange Pippin and Pink Lady) in addition to lemon, mulberry, kumquat and pomegranate trees. Birds were quick to feast upon the apples but there are still plenty of lemons and kumquats, and some beautiful pomegranates to be spotted.
The fruit trees were included in the Sensory Garden to provide a feast for all the senses. Their inclusion also supports the movement in schools to encourage children to grow their own food and eat healthily.
The fruit trees in the Sensory Garden remind young people that fruit grows on trees not on supermarket shelves!
In Shoyoen the persimmon tree is attracting everybody’s attention. The abundant fruits are turning orange and providing an unrivalled autumn display. The botanic name of the persimmon is Diospyros kaki, which means 'food of the gods' and has its origins in ancient China.
The persimmon tree was planted in Shoyoen as a special reference to our Sister City Minokamo with whom Dubbo will be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Sister City relationship, later this year.
Dojo Hachiya-gaki, dried persimmon have been a speciality of Minokamo for hundreds of years and are internationally famous. They are considered as being suitable gifts for royalty. Producing perfect, traditionally dried persimmons is very labour intensive and they are very expensive.
Persimmons have been grown in Australia for almost 150 years but they are not common because most people are only familiar with the astringent varieties. Astringent persimmons can only be eaten when they're completely ripe and squishy-soft, otherwise the bitter tannins make them taste horrid. The sweet variety of persimmon was introduced in the late 1970s.
Autumn makes a visit to the Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden particularly fruitful.
By Ian McAlister & Karen Hagan