Knowledge Base

Tulips, like Narcissus, have been divided up into various groups or divisions - and which division each variety belongs to is generally decided by a combination of factors including flower size and sh … read more

Pears have a bit of a bad reputation. Whilst almost everyone would welcome the thought of an apple tree or a good old Victoria plum in their garden, mention growing pears to even quite experienced ga … read more

Quince have been cultivated for thousands of years. originally from the plains of Mesopotamia (an area which included present day Iraq, as well as parts of Iran, Syria and Turkey). The fruit was kn … read more

Pears are one of the delights of early autumn – yet somehow, they seem to be a more exotic choice than growing apples and come with a reputation for being somewhat problematic. True, they do nee … read more

There can sometimes a lot of confusion about the differences between climbing and rambling roses. In Victorian times it used to be that a rambling rose would have had the species Rosa wichuriana somew … read more

Time to turn our attention to a fruit that has a somewhat ‘down at heel’ reputation – the gooseberry. It tends to be considered a basic, utilitarian fruit, good for pie fillings perhaps or for growi … read more

What’s worse than finding a maggot in your apple? Answer – finding half a maggot! Dad jokes aside, it is so disappointing to wait all summer and watch your fruit ripen, only to find them inedible w … read more

These days we have become accustomed to buying all our plants in pots, lined out at garden centres and available all year round. It’s the horticultural equivalent of the supermarkets having tomatoes … read more

History of trained fruit trees.Trained fruit trees can be the highlight of any garden – they are a superb example of form, function and beauty. From the elegant bare branches covered with frost in t … read more

What is an espalier?An espalier is a form of trained fruit tree, pruned to grow flat against a fence, wall or trellis. Traditionally it has a main central stem, and then horizontal branches which are … read more

Growing fruit in a container is a bit of a faff. You are responsible for all the watering, constantly checking to make sure the compost is neither too wet or bone dry. You’ll need to feed the plants … read more

Knowing exactly when to pick your fruit isn’t as straightforward as it may appear. Even the professionals get it wrong. I know in these turbulent times this will certainly class as a first world pr … read more

For the ornamental gardener, there was a time you could put away the mower in October and, save for maybe raking up the last of the fallen leaves, be safe in the knowledge that the garden was put t … read more

Visit our Plant Centre here in Pickering on any day of the year and hopefully you will find a fruit section with an array of plants for sale. The selection may change slightly from season to season, … read more

For many, a large part of the attraction of growing fruit is not only the delicious produce, but the sense of history that comes with it. Plant a Court Pendu Plat apple and you can enjoy biting int … read more

How to summer prune apple and pear trees.Gardening is full of sayings about what to do and at what time of year – start box hedge clipping on Derby Day, the Chelsea chop for herbaceous plants and sh … read more