Plant the stones in a few places and see what ... If you don't have any plum trees yourself, see who does in your area. It's a great excuse for some barter and exchange. Only work with plump ...

This means that you can get fruit if you plant just one tree. The 'Italian Prune,' a self-fertile European plum, is a terrific starter tree that makes loads of sweet, bluish-purple fruit.

The sprawling, nine-hectare grove contains around 4,000 plum trees of 28 varieties, which are nearly at full bloom. The early-blooming Ryokugakushidare trees are particularly striking.