Spring arrives and the trees are full to the brim with blossom, the blossom starts to sprinkle its confetti to make way for luscious green leaves and baby fruits start to emerge for Summer before the magic happens providing tasty fruits as the season blends into Autumn. Having fruit trees in your garden adds such a wholesome dynamic to your space, a seasonal treat for all the senses.
It can be common place to think your space isn't right for growing one fruit tree let alone an orchard but all you need is 3 trees and 3 wonderful pots and you have your very own homely orchard!
Photo credit: Alisa LokaLova -Unsplash
Over the years tree have been genetically grafted and modified to create higher yielding, more resistant and more accessible trees for consumers. Accessible? That's right we're talking dwarf and patio fruit trees that will flourish and yield outside of a field. With patio and dwarf varieties, you don't need hundreds of acres to enjoy your own orchard, or maybe you do have hundreds of acres but want to be able to pick an apple as you walk from your door, what a wonderful space to be in.
If you have a courtyard style garden, planting fruit trees in pots brings a splash of magic to the space. The trees will grow in large pots and will thrive as they're protected from the elements having a detrimental affect on the trees survival. The dwarf nature of the trees won't overpower the space and will look spectacular with other plants growing at the base.
Tender fruit trees such a peaches can benefit from additional weather protection over Winter. Having the ability to move pots inside or even closer to warmer locations, close to the house for example will give the trees a chance to survive the colder winters and thrive.
Growing trees in pots also allows you a flexible luxury to create privacy in places you want it but don't have the right ground conditions to do so. Opting for an orchard over box hedging our laurel is a stunning, and tasty, alternative - not too mention much less maintenance.
photo credit: Claire Higgins Gapphoto.com
I think it's fair to say we are big fans of growing fruit trees in pots here at Tom's Yard and a few varieties that really sing to us are
Pear 'Oblesik' Obelisk® | Frank P Matthews
Fig 'Little Miss Figgy' Little Miss Figgy® (LMF01) | Frank P Matthews
Peach 'Garden Lady' Garden Lady | Frank P Matthews
Apple 'Ballerina Rhapsodie' Ballerina Rhapsodie® | Frank P Matthews
There many many more amazing varieties of fruit trees though so when you are conducting your own research you're looking for words like dwarf, dwarf rootstock, patio, or even the description phrase of perfect for small spaces.
Thomas' top pot recommendations for happy and thriving fruit trees.
Elii Cretan Terracotta Planter | Hand-Thrown Clay Pots | Tom's Yard (tomsyard.co.uk)
Cretan Terracotta 'Long Tom' Planters – Tom's Yard (tomsyard.co.uk)
