Despite the English summer, Christina Janvier has succeeded in growing bananas with large, lush leaves in her Canonbury garden.
Five years ago, a friend brought Christina a little banana plant from the island of Saint Lucia. It’s now bearing fruit for the first time.
Christina, who is originally from the Caribbean and now lives in Ramsey Walk, told the Gazette: “It’s a gift to have a banana plant which bears fruit in England. It reminds me of home. Even though the fruits are green and small, they taste like normal bananas.” She loves steaming them.
But it doesn’t need any elaborate care, she says – apparently all the tree requires is regular water.
Walking around her exotic garden of lemon and avocado plants, as well as intensely scented roses and lilies, Christina says she’s happy to see it so lively.
“I expect my other banana plant to bear fruit in a year’s time and I couldn’t be happier. I also keep the bees alive,” she laughed.
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