Apples
Allington Pippin
Originally named South Lincolnshire Pippin, this cross between King of Pippins and Cox's Orange
Pippin was bred by Thomas Laxton, Lincolnshire, before 1884. Renamed by Bunyard's of Maidstone in 1896. Medium-sized round fruit of distinctly conical shape. Pale yellow with red cheek when fully ripe. Makes a compact tree.
Can tend to overcrop, so some thinning of the young fruit is advisable after the normal 'June Drop' has occurred. Stores
well.
Eating.
Pick October. Partially self-fertile. Use November-February.
Brownlee's Russet
Introduced in the 1840s by William Brownlee of Hemel Hempstead, this late dessert apple was
prized by the Victorians for its intense sweet-sharp highly aromatic fruit. Strikingly attractive blossom, with carmine buds opening to pink. Trees are
moderately vigorous, and cropping is generally good.
Eating.
Pick November. Partially self-fertile. Use January-May.
Edward VII
Excellent late-season cooking apple introduced by Messrs Rowe of Worcester in 1902. Bright yellow-green large round fruit have a super-acidic flavour and cook to an unusual pink puree. This is a superb garden variety: neat upright growth, hardy and disease-resistant. Late flowering, so perfect for frost-pockets and exposed sites.
Cooking.
Pick October. Self-sterile. Use December-April.
Ellison's Orange
Raised by Rev. C.C. Ellison and introduced in 1911. Golden fruits flushed and striped red, of medium size, round, slightly conical and with flat ends. Moderate, upright growth, with slender branches. Fruit is very juicy and richly flavoured when fully ripe, a reliable cropper, and the flower resists spring frosts.
Eating.
Pick September. Self-fertile. Use September-October.
Greensleeves
Raised in Kent in 1966 from a cross between James Grieve and Golden Delicious. This green mid-season dessert apple has the best attributes of both parents: the fruit is crunchy and sweet with a nice tangy bite, and the tree is very hardy and crops heavily. Bears fruit when young, and a good pollinator of other varieties. The best substitute for Golden Delicious for growing in the UK.
Eating.
Pick September. Self-fertile. Use September-November.
Howgate Wonder
One of the largest cooking apples in cultivation, this is a real beauty. Raised on the Isle of Wight in 1915 by G. Wratten at Howgate Lane, Bembridge, this is a cross between Newton Wonder and Blenheim Orange. A flattish apple, pale yellow-green with conspicuous red and orange striping, the flesh is firm, juicy and quite sweet when ripe and cooks well. This is a heavy and reliable cropper.
Cooking.
Pick November. Self-fertile. Use December-January.
James Grieve
Almost full yellow, slightly flushed and red-striped. Raised in Edinburgh and first recorded in 1893. Gives a good performance on nearly all types of soil
though canker can develop on poor soils. Very juicy with a pleasant, crisp, sweet flavour. Probably the best September
dessert apple, very prolific. A good pollinator.
Eating.
Pick September. Self-fertile. Use September-October.
Jupiter
A fairly recent introduction raised at East Malling in Kent in 1966, this Cox's cross is a
wonderful late-season dessert apple, juicy and sweet with a full aromatic Cox-like flavour. Hardy and vigorous and a heavy cropper, but can be biennial.
Eating.
Pick October. Self-fertile. Use October-January.
Katy
A very attractive apple, always chosen by children. Bright red shiny skin with very juicy crisp
flesh and a pleasant flavour. Raised in Sweden in 1947 from a cross between James Grieve and Worcester Pearmain, this is
an excellent pollinator of other varieties and produces abundant crops of 'lunch-box'-sized apples.
Eating.
Pick September. Self-sterile. Use September-October.
Kidd's Orange Red
Raised in 1924 in New Zealand, this is one of the finest-flavoured dessert apples: the large fruit are sweet, aromatic and juicy. Good disease resistance and crops well.
Plant in the sunniest spot available to ensure the best flavour. Highly recommended.
Eating.
Pick October. Self-sterile. Use November-February.
Rosemary Russet
An English apple of uncertain origin, first described by nurseryman Mr Rolands of Brentford in 1831. A very attractive late-winter russet with an intense crisp flavour.
Eating.
Pick October. Self-sterile. Use December-March.
Damaged by vandalism but recovering well.
St Edmunds Pippin
One of the few early-season russets. Raised in Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk, and first recorded in 1875, this produces abundant drops of golden fruit, entirely covered with fine light-brown russeting. Superb sweet, juicy fruit with an intense flavour when fully ripe, which has been likened to eating pear-flavoured vanilla ice-cream!
Eating.
Pick September. Self-fertile. Use September-October.
Worcester Pearmain
Crimson, medium-sized fruit. Best picked and eaten fresh from the trees, it can be eaten as early as August in the South of England. Bears a good crop in most years, unless you forget that it is a tip-bearer and prune off your next crop! The apple originated in the market garden of Mr Hale at Swan Pool, near Worcester, in the 1870s and is probably a seedling from Devonshire Quarrenden.
Eating.
Pick October. Self-fertile. Use September-October
Cambridge Gage
Probably originally a chance Greengage seedling, this vigorous tree produces small round green fruit with a fantastic flavour. Good consistent cropper.
Eating.
Pick September. Pollination Group C. Self-sterile. Use September.
Beth
An excellent new English-bred pear which, although raised in 1938, was not named and released until 1974. This is a great garden cultivar, compact, hardy and reliable. The fruits are small, pale yellow with a pink flush, with a creamy white flesh which is juicy and sweet. A good choice for an early-season variety.
Eating.
Pick September. Self-sterile. Use October.
Lost to vandalism and not yet replaced.
Beurre Hardy
Raised about 1820 in Boulogne, France, and named after M. Hardy, Director of Arboriculture at the Luxembourg Gardens. A very tasty pear with juicy flesh and a slight rosewater flavour, reliable and hardy. Pick when still hard and store until ripe. Upright habit and good autumn colour.
Eating.
Pick August. Self-sterile. Use September.
Lost to vandalism and replaced by Onward.
Onward
Probably the best mid-season pear for garden cultivation. Light green fruits with a pinkish-red flush and a creamy-white flesh. The flavour is sweet and rich with a nice balancing acidity and plenty of juice. Raised in 1947 at Wisley, Surrey. A cross between Laxton’s Superb and Doyenne du Comice.
Eating.
Pick September. Self-sterile.
Marjorie's Seedling
Of unknown origin, this is a good choice if you want a late variety: petunia-purple fruit that are firm, juicy and quite sweet. Vigorous upright growth, so allow plenty of space. Late-flowering, so tends to miss the spring frosts.
Dual Purpose.
Pick October. Self-fertile. Use October.
Lost to vandalism, replaced, and the replacement stolen.
Merryweather
Introduced in 1907 in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, this is the most popular variety of damson for garden use. Heavy crops of large round blue-black fruit which are acidic but juicy. Makes first-class jams and chutneys.
Cooking.
Pick September. Self-fertile. Use September.
Black Mulberry
A very desirable fruit tree, growing into a sizable tree (15-20ft) with wonderful gnarled branches. It can take several years to begin fruiting. Fruits are somewhat raspberry-like in appearance and produced in August and September. They can be eaten fresh or used for jam or wine. Self-fertile.
Tree damaged and subsequently died.
Common Walnut
A superb orchard or specimen tree, producing large edible nuts, in quantity.