Category Archives: Plants & Seeds
Pear ‘Benita’
This is an intriguing cross between a European and an Asian Pear, resulting in traditional, sweet flavoured fruits with the crispness of an Asian Pear. The golden fruits have a beautiful oval shape and a light russeting to their skins. They can be harvested in September and keep well after picking.
Pear ‘Beth’
An ?all round? excellent garden variety! Pear ?Beth? is well suited to the UK climate, producing good crops of smooth, pale yellow dessert fruits with sweet, juicy flesh and soft, melting texture. The fruits are best eaten freshly picked in September as they won?t keep for long.
Pear ‘Catillac’
An old French variety dating back to the 17th Century, which unusually, is only used for cooking. The rounded, green fruits develop an attractive red blush as they ripen, but remain hard and slightly gritty in texture unless cooked very slowly. Heavy crops can be harvested in October and keep extremely well ? right through
Pear ‘Christie’
Pear ‘Christie’ is well known variety to Scottish fruit growers. The fruits are large with green skins that blush red as they ripen. The flavour is deliciously sweet and mellow making it excellent for eating fresh.
Gage ‘Oullins Golden’
A good dual purpose variety with a true Gage flavour for cooking or eating fresh. Ideal for baking in pies when picked early, or allow them to ripen during August when they will become sweet and juicy ? perfect for eating straight from the tree.
Gage ‘Reine Claude de Bavay’
Gage ‘Reine Claude de Bavay’ is the variety most widely found in supermarkets. The fruits turn to yellow-green when fully ripe in early September. They have a typical Gage flavour which is at its best when fruits are left to ripen on the tree.
Gage’ Stella`s Star’
A recent introduction from British breeding. Gage’ Stella`s Star’ produces good crops of mildly flavoured fruits that can be eaten fresh or cooked into pies and jams. The yellow fruits ripen in mid August. This self fertile variety is reliable and particularly productive compared to many other Gages.
Gage ‘Willingham Gage’
A classic English Green Gage, with a first rate flavour! The green fruits have a delicious, sweet flavour that is reminiscent of melons. Gage ‘Willingham Gage’ was selected by the RHS for its superior flavour and good crops.
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ is arguably the best red form of the ever-popular Witch Hazel. The spidery red flowers fill the air will perfume in winter, clinging resiliently to naked stems.
Gage ‘Old Greengage’
Don?t be fooled by the plain, green coloured fruits of ?Old Greengage? ? this variety is anything but dull! Regarded by many as one of the best tasting plums you?ll find, including the RHS who selected it for its rich, sweet flavour. The small fruits are deliciously juicy and best enjoyed freshly picked from the
Apple ‘Sunset’ (MM106 Rootstock)
With many similarities to Cox, Apple ?Sunset? makes an excellent alternative for garden production. The flavour is sharp and intense, while the skins share the same characteristic red-stripes and orange flush that is so typical of English dessert apples. However this variety is much easier to grow and produces far better yields.
Apple ‘Surprize’ (MM106 Rootstock)
Looking for something a bit different? Apple ?Surprize? is a real departure from traditional eating apples. Beneath their glossy orange skins, the fruits have unusual pink flesh! This recent introduction is not just a novelty ? the flavour is a good mix of sweetness and acidity, with a crisp and juicy texture.
Apple ‘Tickled Pink’ (MM106 Rootstock)
One of the finest of the red-fleshed varieties, Apple ?Tickled Pink? is both productive and highly ornamental. The deep pink blossom and red-tinged young foliage makes a particularly attractive combination in Spring. The crimson-skinned fruits that follow reveal colourful pink flesh when sliced open, with a tart, juicy flavour.
Apple ‘Winter Gem’ (M9 Rootstock)
This late season variety consistently produces top quality eating apples, with a richly aromatic and complex flavour. The pale, yellow-green fruits are flushed red with crisp, juicy flesh. Being one of the last eating apples to ripen in late October, it makes a valuable and worthwhile addition to orchards.
Cherry ‘Stardust Coveu’
Cherry ?Stardust? is notable as the first self-fertile white cherry! The red-blushed fruits have an exceptional sweet flavour and show good resistance to splitting after summer rains. This is a strong growing variety with good vigour, producing good yields of sweet cherries in late July.
Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’
A hardy shrub with pure white flowers makes Exochorda ‘The Bride’ a graceful addition to your garden. Flowers April to May, and with striking autumnal foliage in October. Height: 2m (6′). Spread: 3m (10′).
Cherry ‘Sweetheart’
A useful sweet cherry for cropping late in the season. Better still, it ripens unevenly, avoiding the usual glut of fruits. The dark scarlet cherries are firm with a sweet flavour and a just a hint of acidity. Harvest the fruits in late August and eat them fresh from the tree for the best flavour.
Damson ‘Farleigh Damson’
Farleigh Damsons are superb croppers producing huge yields of small, dusky blue-black fruits in September. The fruits have a sharp flavour that becomes distinctly rich and plummy when cooked. The fruits can be baked in pies or made into delicious jams and wines.
Damson ‘Shropshire Prune’
Shropshire prunes date back to the 17th century and still have much to offer modern growers. Blue-black fruits can be harvested in late September. The small fruits are sharp and astringent when fresh, but cook down to make fabulous jams and puddings with an intensely rich flavour.
Cherry ‘Summer Sun’
A great Cherry tree for our unpredictable UK weather, Cherry ?Summer Sun? will produce a large crop of tasty dark red fruits in July each year to give you a tasty treat! A reliable variety that is also reasonably compact in its growth meaning it can be trained against a wall just as readily as
