Orchard

Deciding on the varieties of fruit and vegetables to grow is a delightful undertaking. Experienced kitchen gardeners tend to base their choices on; taste, (seasonal) yield, ripening period, soil suitability and disease resistance to limit/prevent use of pesticides. Nostalgia often also plays a part, where (local) heritage varieties may be chosen over modern (F1) hybrids. However, one can’t help but notice the ever increasing pressure to grow the trendier; unusual, [...]

Meet our rather adventurous 2009 purchase, Rubus Nidigrolaria; the Jostaberry. Developed in Europe, the Jostaberry is a thornless cross between the Blackcurrant and the Gooseberry. Results to date have been poor to say the least. This, the Olympic year, is its last chance to determine its future; compost heap or eternal sorbet/crumble rich prospects. On the endless quest for tasty curiosities, the Jostaberry joined a whole crew of fruit bushes [...]

For some years, our inherited (60+ year old) espalier apple trees, have been somewhat neglected. Being such a special part of the garden, this may sound surprising, but as trees, they are often forgotten. Trees provide the structure, around which gardening activities take place. Terrible, but often true. The walled garden has 14 espalier apple trees, which for many years have been pruned in winter, along with the (half) standard [...]