Page 60 - homes & gardens

ou can never grow too many trees, so huge is the
role they play in the maintenance of the earth’s
ecology. If, however, you are struggling to decide
which type of tree to plant in your garden, then
Y you could do worse than opt for those that are
both ornamental and bear edible fruit. You will not only be
providing a vital source of food and habitat for wildlife, you will
have delicious, home-grown fruit for your table and an ever-
changing and always beautiful focal point in your garden or,
if the tree is pot-grown, on your terrace.
Apples, pears, plums and cherries are the classic orchard
fruit trees, well known to the Romans and much cultivated in
monastery gardens of the Middle Ages, while crab apples,
quinces and medlars are their rather more exotic but equally
tasty and attractive cousins. All are members of the Rosaceae
family, but while the cherry and the plum are stone fruits, the
rest are pome fruits, having small seeds in a central core from
which the stalk swells.
From the reign of Henry VIII onwards, new varieties were
increasingly imported to this country and the number of orchards
multiplied, reaching a peak during the Victorian era. The two
world wars led to a lack of available labour to maintain them,
and later, the need for land to grow other crops and to build
homes saw the start of a severe decline in the number of British
orchards. More recently, people have become aware of the eco-
logical importance of trees and of the advantage of permanent
as opposed to annual crops. Spring blossom provides nectar
for bees, while birds, rodents and other insects proft from the
ripe fruit in autumn. Apple wood is also a home to mistletoe
and a source of fragrant fuel for an open fre, and can be used
for carving treen and as supports for other garden plants.

THE HERITAGE OF POME FRUITS IN BRITAIN
CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE APPLES (Malus domestica) Originating in Asia Minor Romans: Pliny recorded 41 varieties. Dedicated breeding
RIGHT Nashi pears are self- and introduced by the Romans to Britain, there are now programmes in France and Belgium at the end of the
fertile and fruit prolifcally; 2,000 varieties of eating and cooking apple grown here. 18th century led to the wealth of fruits enjoyed today.
the ‘Harry Baker’ crab apple Though two-thirds of English orchards were lost between
has very large pink fowers in 1950 and 2000, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has QUINCES (Cydonia vulgaris/C. oblonga) Originating
spring, followed by ruby-red
fruits with deep pink fesh been working to preserve a range of varieties, and growing in Persia and Turkestan, quinces were regarded as a
lasting until mid-October; heritage apples has become popular in recent years. symbol of fertility. Charlemagne introduced quince trees
‘Nottingham’ is the smallest to western Europe in the 9th century. They are good orna-
and tastiest of medlars; CRAB APPLES (Malus sylvestris) Native to temperate mental trees for the garden, as their blossom, fruit and
raised by a Belgian chemist zones of the northern hemisphere, crab apples have been twisted branches provide year-round visual interest.
in 1787, ‘Beurre Capiaumont’ used for jams and jellies since pre-history, their fruit being
has pale fesh with a sweet too sour to eat raw. Ideal as ornamental trees, the golden MEDLARS (Mespilus germanica) The medlar originally
perfumed favour and is one orange ‘John Downie’ and bright yellow ‘Golden Hornet’ came from Persia but was naturalised throughout Europe
of the heritage pear varieties are both very garden-worthy. in ancient times. Medlars are mentioned by Theophrastus
grown at RHS Wisley; golden
yellow ‘Vranja’ quinces grow in Greece in 300BC and three different varieties were
on a small tree that has light PEARS (Pyrus communis) The frst cultivated varieties recorded by Pliny. Popular in Britain in Elizabethan times,
pink blossom in spring. were probably selected from the wild and dessert pears the fruit is frequently mentioned in Shakespeare, often
were certainly known to the ancient Phoenicians and with bawdy overtones because of its shape.

60 | H&G | september 2015