From Tree to Table – Why Every Garden Needs a Fruit Tree Fruit trees bring more than beauty to a garden, they offer flavour, tradition and the chance to eat seasonally in a way that supermarkets just can’t match. We complain a little about the climate in the UK but what we don’t appreciate is that our climate is kinder to orchards and a well-chosen tree can provide decades, no, centuries, of harvests. We say centuries because the mother tree of our latest pear release ‘Cornishgold’ is still producing harvests after 300 years! Just amazing! And let’s not forget, planting your own fruit trees opens the door to varieties you’ll never see on a shop shelf, delicious fruits that are bred for taste rather than how well they’ll transport. Apples and Varieties you Never Knew Existed The UK is famous for its apple heritage, yet only a handful of these incredible varieties ever reach the aisles. Growing your own apple trees reveals just how diverse apples can be. From the sharp bite of Egremont Russet to the honeyed sweetness of Discovery or the aromatic depth of Ashmead’s Kernel, there’s an apple to suit every palate. Many heritage varieties also store well, carrying their flavours deep into winter. And these are just the heritage varieties, what about new discoveries like Rainbow Apple that Frank P Matthews brought to market this year – stripey bark, striped leaves and skin striped in such a fun and delicious way. Pears, How They’re Meant to Taste You reach for the fruit bowl and grab a pear, you bite into it and it leaves you feeling somewhat disappointed – that’s because supermarket pears are often picked too early, leaving them bland, a bit hard and well not very nice. Now picture this instead – you walk into your garden, the summer/autumn sun warming your face, you head to your pear tree and take one. You can’t resist and take a bite, and it is soft and juicy and delicious on all levels. That’s because in your own garden, varieties like Conference and Concorde ripen to perfection. For something more unusual, Beth produces small but intensely sweet fruits that are ideal for eating straight from the tree. Plums and Damsons in All Their Richness and Abundance Few fruits capture late summer quite like a sun-warmed plum. Varieties such as Victoria and Opal thrive in UK gardens, offering heavy crops of sweet, juicy fruit. Damsons, like the traditional Shropshire Prune, are smaller and sharper, but perfect for jam, baking and of course making gin. Cherries and Their Sweet Rewards I remember as a child, cherries being a luxury fruit because they were too expensive. It’s why growing your own at home is oh so rewarding, as the little red fruit grow in abundance. Self-fertile varieties such as Stella and Sunburst are easier for home gardeners, producing glossy, dark fruit with a sweetness you’ll never find in a supermarket punnet. Netting is often needed to deter birds, but sharing a few cherries with blackbirds feels like part of the fun is it not? Beyond the Familiar: Quince, Medlar and Mulberry Fruit trees also invite adventure. Quinces, with their golden glow and perfumed flesh are too fragile for supermarkets but make magical jellies and poached desserts. Medlars, once a staple in Tudor England are eaten when “bletted” (softened after picking), with a spiced, date-like flavour. Mulberries, meanwhile, drip with rich purple juice, staining fingers and clothing but rewarding patience with intense sweetness. These heritage fruits connect us to a deeper tradition of British gardening and cooking that no supermarket can rival. Embracing the Seasons Perhaps the greatest gift of growing fruit trees is the rhythm they bring. In spring, blossom lifts the garden; in summer, cherries and plums mark long days; autumn fills baskets with apples and pears; winter offers stored fruit and the promise of another cycle. Eating seasonally isn’t just good for the planet, it is good for our mind and body to. A Harvest Worth Waiting For Planting a fruit tree is an act of patience, but the reward is worth every year of waiting. Whether it’s a crisp russet apple, a handful of sun-warmed plums or a fragrant quince bubbling into jelly, each harvest tells a story that supermarkets simply can’t. From blossom to basket, from tree to table, fruit trees bring flavour, history and joy to any garden. And once you’ve tasted fruit grown in your own soil, you’ll wonder how you ever settled for the supermarket shelf. Back To List Related Articles… Bare Root vs Container Trees: Which Should You Plant? For British gardeners and horticulturists, the decision between planting bare … Full Details Fruit Tree Pollination To successfully produce a good crop of fruit, the flowers … Full Details Fruit Trees for Small Gardens We grow many varieties of fruit trees that are perfect … Full Details Harvesting and Storing Fruit When harvesting and storing fruit a lot is dependent on … Full Details
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