Our flourishing quince bush at Glamorgan Farm’s entrance has a lovely story. Over one hundred years ago the main entrance to the farm was off what is now the Pat Bay Highway and the quince grew at that time at that location.

Two years ago (2006) the quince still flourished, on the highway!

Amongst the asphalt, ferry traffic, gasoline fumes, cement barricades and overpasses on the four line highway, the lush quince burst into a mass of pink and red blooms every spring and became a site line problem for traffic turning off the highway where there is now a tourist information booth.

The good staff from the North Saanich municipal hall, dressed in their muddy yellow rain gear, one damp misty afternoon, with their huge rubber tired back hoe, stopped traffic and dug up the old quince. Placing it strategically in their bucket and driving up Glamorgan Road, the old quince (probably in shock!), bounced gently passed the old yellow racetrack grandstand and the hedgerows and was placed at the new entrance on the hill in front of the great old log barns of what is now remaining of the original Glamorgan Farm.

Cliff from the municipal hall sprinkled bone meal in the huge hole he had dug, and we mulched the old bush with compost. The following spring the old quince put on a beautiful spread of it’s delicate blossoms and even produced three hard shrivelled quince!

Quince is a strange fruit but full of vitamin C and makes a delicious jelly which is fabulous with meat or poultry, or baked as a dessert like apples. Be prepared to take the time and energy to cut and core these hard fruits – it can be frustrating but worth it.