In Roman mythology, Pomona was a hamadryad, or wood nymph, who devoted her existence to the tending of fruit trees. Ovid writes in his Metamorphoses, “No other hamadryad of the wood nymphs of Latium tended to the garden more skillfully or was more devoted to the orchard’s care, hence her name.” According to numerous myths, her radiant beauty attracted several suitors, including Silvanus and Picus, but Pomona preferred to be alone, nurturing her sacred trees in the countryside. Describing her reclusive nature, Ovid wrote, “Still fearing boorish aggression, she enclosed herself in an orchard (pomeria), and denied an entrance, and shunned men.”

Apple bobbing, originally inspired by Pomona’s celebration, involves trying to retrieve apples from a large basin of water using only one’s mouth. It has become a beloved Halloween activity, symbolizing good fortune and connecting us to our agricultural heritage. During the Pomona Festival, orchard owners and farmers pay homage to Pomona by adorning their orchards with garlands of flowers and colorful ribbons. The festivities commence with a grand procession, where individuals present offerings of apples and other harvest fruits to Pomona’s sacred altar. Fruit Tree Feed (or blood, fish and bone when growing organically) is again ideal for feeding during the year in early spring and early summer, although for strawberries I recommend using a seaweed feed such as Grow Your Own Seaweed Fertiliser. As with fruit trees watering is critical and just because soft fruit plants are smaller this does not mean they need any less water! A fantastic new early variety to start the season! Bred and selected by East Malling Research, Vibrant has rapidly become established amongst commercial growers as the premier early variety and is an excellent choice for the garden. Vibrant produces medium to large bright red berries that are very sweet and flavoursome to taste. The plants are heavy cropping and resistant to powdery mildew and crown rot. Double cropping in the main crop year can occur if July temperatures are relatively low with surprisingly good fruit being produced in September. Pomona’s associations with fruit trees and orchards naturally connected her to themes of abundance and opulence. She is most commonly represented in art surrounded by a lush and verdant, paradisiacal garden of color and life, representing her role as a nurturer who could bring forth life-sustaining produce. Romans dedicated the date of August 13 as a feast day in honor of Pomona, as this was the date when the first fruits of the harvest were ripe enough to eat.

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The festival also features lively music and dancing, captivating performances by local artists, and the sharing of delicious apple-based dishes and drinks. It is a time for joyous revelry, expressing gratitude for a prosperous harvest, and invoking Pomona’s blessings for future abundance. The Transformation of Pomona’s Festival into Modern-Day Traditions Pomona Has Appeared in Art and Popular Culture Monna Pomona, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1864. Source: Tate Gallery, London. Pomona ( / p ə ˈ m oʊ n ə/ ⓘ, [1] Latin: [poːˈmoːna]) was a goddess of fruitful abundance and plenty in ancient Roman religion and myth. Her name comes from the Latin word pomum, "fruit", specifically orchard fruit. Michaels, Brian E. (1976). The River flows North: A history of Putnam County, Florida. Palatka, Florida: Putnam County Archives and History Commission. p.212. ASIN B00072QEFQ. The most widely grown early dessert apple in the UK, raised in Essex c1949. Bright scarlet fruits. Crisp and juicy with a distinctive flavour. Stores very well for an early variety. Resistant to scab and mildew. Can be grown throughout the UK. Season: late Aug - Sept.

Her emphasis on proper pruning and grafting techniques has contributed to the development of effective horticultural practices. Today, her legacy can be observed in the meticulous care given to orchards and the cultivation of thriving fruit-bearing trees. References to Pomona in Contemporary Art and Entertainment Pomona was the goddess of fruit trees, gardens, and orchards. Unlike many other Roman goddesses and gods, she does not have a Greek counterpart, though she is commonly associated with Demeter. She watches over and protects fruit trees and cares for their cultivation. She was not actually associated with the harvest of fruits itself, but with the flourishing of the fruit trees. In artistic depictions she is generally shown with a platter of fruit or a cornucopia.There is something very special about the taste and aroma of the gourmet strawberry varieties originating from the south of France. They are so fragrant that when in season they perfume the markets in Provence with the most heavenly scent and taste sublime! Supplied as coldstored plants, this collection consists of 18 strawberry plants, 6 each of the following: objects we also offer a variety of customizable contemporary designs in multiple materials, colors, Raised from a cross between Gariguette and a selection with Mara des Bois in its pedigree, it is little surprise that this new French variety has outstanding flavour. The berries have a distinctive aroma and the flavour is incredibly sweet. The plants are heavy cropping and have good resistance to powdery mildew, verticillium wilt, crown rot and red core. In 2003 a newly discovered honey bee ( Apis mellifera) subspecies was named after Pomona being called the Apis mellifera pomonella, it was discovered in the Tien Shan Mountains, an area with the greatest genetic diversity for a wild Malus species, M. sieversii, that is the predominant ancestor of domesticated apple varieties which are typically pollinated by honey bees on a commercial scale. [10] Representations in art [ edit ] The city of Pomona, California, in Los Angeles County, is named after the goddess. [7] Pomona College was founded in the city and retained its name even after relocating to its present-day location in Claremont. [7] [8]

An improved sport of Braeburn with better flavour and colour and more suited to the British climate. The fruits are crisp and aromatic and have excellent keeping qualities. Heavy cropping but best grown in the south as it needs a long growing season. Produces a compact tree - ideal for small gardens. Season: Dec - March. Pomona is the title of a play by Alistair McDowell, commissioned in 2014 for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. [13] a b Bright, William (1998). 1500 California Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning. Berkeley: University of California Press. p.118. ISBN 978-0-520-92054-5. Matthew Gumpert, Grafting Helen: The Abduction of the Classical Past ( University of Wisconsin Press, 2001), p. 69.Grow your own delicious strawberries. Planted before the end of July, you will reap your first harvest this summer! This collection consists of 18 summer fruiting strawberry plants, 6 each of the following: A Wood Nymph Pomona Encircled by a Garland of Fruit, Studio of Frans Snyders, 17th century. Source: Christie’s.

Pomona is one of three statues featured at the Massachusetts Horticulture Society's Elm Bank Horticulture Center, along with Ceres and Flora. [14] Gallery [ edit ] Almost all new plants will benefit from rootgrow™ but there are a few exceptions: blueberries, cranberries, lingonberries, rhododendrons, azaleas, heathers & brassicas. It should be noted that using rootgrow™ on these plants will not harm them - it just won’t work. It is quite possible to grow most fruit trees and soft fruit plants in containers; however to do this you do need to carefully prepare in the same way that you would prepare the open ground before planting out. Unfortunately many people acquire a tree or plant and then just shove it in a pot or container without any thought and that usually ends up with the poor thing hardly surviving or perhaps dying. Der Sieg der fruchtbaren Pomona ("The Victory of Fruitful Pomona") is a 1702 opera by Reinhard Keiser. A very heavy cropping dessert apple producing red striped fruits. Crisp and juicy with a refreshing fruity flavour. Easy to grow and ideal as a garden variety. Produces a compact tree. Good resistance to late frosts. Season: Oct - Dec. Self-fertile.The town of Pomona Park, Florida in Putnam County is named after the goddess of fruit from the time citrus horticulture dominated the economy of the area. [9] A bronze statue of Pomona sits atop the Pulitzer Fountain in Manhattan's Grand Army Plaza in New York. The fountain was funded by newspaper tycoon Joseph Pulitzer, designed by the architect Thomas Hastings, and crowned by a statue conceived by the sculptor Karl Bitter. [11] The fountain was dedicated in May 1916. de Vaan, Michiel (2008). Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages. Leiden, Boston. ISBN 9789004167971.