There are loads of Greengage in the west midlands/worcestershire and yes it's nice and often overlooked, certain parts of the staffs/worcs canal has a large bounty of them along it's towpath. Another nice one is the Mirabelle Plum tree, i know of a few growing wild in hedgerows and the plum is really nice to eat fresh, it also makes fine jam and its used for making plum brandy or wine.. I also like the John Downie crab apple tree, despite being a crab the little apples are fairly sweet and nice to eat raw, they also make an excellent jelly.
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There are loads of Greengage in the west midlands/worcestershire and yes it's nice and often overlooked, certain parts of the staffs/worcs canal has a large bounty of them along it's towpath. Another nice one is the Mirabelle Plum tree, i know of a few growing wild in hedgerows and the plum is really nice to eat fresh, it also makes fine jam and its used for making plum brandy or wine.. I also like the John Downie crab apple tree, despite being a crab the little apples are fairly sweet and nice to eat raw, they also make an excellent jelly.
To me the question would be: What do I have in my local hedgerows? I wouldn't bother growing chestnuts for example as most of the local woodland is chestnut and so I can harvest as much as I could ever want without needing to take up valuable space in my own garden with them. Ditto Elder & Sloe.
What I don't have very many of in my local forage patches are Walnuts, in fact I know of only one Walnut tree I've found within walking distance of home. So it would certainly go on my list. Ditto Wild service tree (yet to find one in the wild).
I wouldn't plant ash, with Chalara being a big problem, there are restrictions on the sale of Ash trees, and young trees are very susceptible.
Don't forget a tree doesn't need to be the size of a tree... Yes that sounds bloomin' stupid but hear me out. With modern rootstocks it's possible to have a number of different small trees in a relatively small space. I have 12 Apple trees in an 8m x 3m garden. They are all on small root stocks (M9 & M27 mostly). If you want pear or plumb there are also dwarfing rootstocks such as Quince C. You can easily have a fruit tree in an 18" diameter pot and get a harvest off it.
So, if you have space for 3 traditionally tree sized trees. I would plant 3 Apples on M27, 3 Pears on Quince C, 3 Plums/gages on WA-1, a medlar on Quince C, a Quince on Quince C, a Walnut and a wild service tree...
Alternatively, you could play around with family trees, 3 varieties of apple on one rootstock...
Or maybe a black mulberry so you can farm silk worms...
Hope this gives you some food for thought.
J
What I don't have very many of in my local forage patches are Walnuts, in fact I know of only one Walnut tree I've found within walking distance of home. So it would certainly go on my list. Ditto Wild service tree (yet to find one in the wild).
I wouldn't plant ash, with Chalara being a big problem, there are restrictions on the sale of Ash trees, and young trees are very susceptible.
Don't forget a tree doesn't need to be the size of a tree... Yes that sounds bloomin' stupid but hear me out. With modern rootstocks it's possible to have a number of different small trees in a relatively small space. I have 12 Apple trees in an 8m x 3m garden. They are all on small root stocks (M9 & M27 mostly). If you want pear or plumb there are also dwarfing rootstocks such as Quince C. You can easily have a fruit tree in an 18" diameter pot and get a harvest off it.
So, if you have space for 3 traditionally tree sized trees. I would plant 3 Apples on M27, 3 Pears on Quince C, 3 Plums/gages on WA-1, a medlar on Quince C, a Quince on Quince C, a Walnut and a wild service tree...
Alternatively, you could play around with family trees, 3 varieties of apple on one rootstock...
Or maybe a black mulberry so you can farm silk worms...
Hope this gives you some food for thought.
J
I'm very partial to Damsons, both stewed and also in the form of Damson Gin. A Damson tree may serve amongst the other suggestions?
We've got a nice Damson, huge harvest every couple of years.
Thanks for the great suggestions and advice, keep it coming
Thanks for the great suggestions and advice, keep it coming
Good thinking there Jack, so how about,
Sorbus torminalis AKA chequer tree or wild service tree), Native to Wales rare and edible.
Recently cut down a plum tree which was in the wrong place and causing too much shade. Other than that though on my small plot I have apple trees and cherry trees, and also willow. Willow is very useful, grows amazingly quick, and though you can't eat it, it has lots of uses.
We've got a nice Damson, huge harvest every couple of years.
Thanks for the great suggestions and advice, keep it coming
Plums (of which Damsons are a cousin), tend to have variable production. Leave a Plum tree to it's own devices and you will get a MASSIVE crop one year, then small amount the next, Big crop, small crop, Big crop, small crop, MASSIVE CROP. Some like this and don't mind the variability. However, in the years where there is a massive or big crop, if you thin the fruit in June, you will find that you can get a reasonably big crop that year, and then the next year you also get a reasonably big crop. On average you should get a better crop taken over a number of years.
If space is a premium a slow growing tree like a Juniper seems inefficient. How long does it take to produce fruit? how cheap is the fruit to buy (I bought 500g for under 5 euro once, I'm still using them...)? And can you coppice it to get the wood? Those are the questions I would ask.
J
How about an apricot - or you could go for a morello cherry? A morello will deal with shade, and you could grow red currants underneath. It depends what the aspect is, and maybe what you don't have locally. Of course that might be because the one thing you really want won't grow locally! Walnut is lovely but will take about twenty years to bear usable fruit (nuts). Monkey puzzle is nice too! And the nuts are edible. Do you want it as a wind break? The tree I mean. And there are several climbers to combine with your trees - yes to kiwi, passion fruit, hops. Avocado won't grow outside in the UK. Fig will but it like a very sunny spot (next to a brick wall is ideal as it will benefit from residual heat at night) and will need protecting from frost. Holly is a lovely wood to work with later.. But some trees will get tpos slapped on them once established... So maybe not holly if it's for wood. If for fruit, isn't it fantastic that so many fruit trees grow well here?
Oh and if you go for beech you can eat the nuts inside the mast! Or elderberry, it maybe the witches tree but you can make wine from the fruit, eat the flowers and it's beautiful too - just make no spoons nor burn it.
I love this thread it's got me all tree excited, thank you..
I love this thread it's got me all tree excited, thank you..
Gods I would never plant an elder for an amenity tree. Ugly things, I have uprooted a good twenty from this place, they really are weed trees. Never known them a witch trees that's always been May trees.
A May tree is Hawthorn. Also known as the Beltane tree and the death tree. The scent does contain a chemical released in the decay of flesh (trimethylamine)
I knew it was unlucky to bring may into the house - so this is why, where I grew up I think May was used interchangeable for both hawthorn and blackthorn - though rather different.
I've just checked a couple of reference books on British myths and lore and it seems elder is regarded as a witches tree, but like so many of these things it's a regional belief. When I was very little my very elderly aunt who made charms for people and was always being left little present by people she 'helped' had a whole hedge of elder - but she also made a lot of hedgerow wine.
I think I'm very lucky as along with my aunt, my grandma who was definitely the local crone and made the most of it! one of my great uncles could charm shingles, and saw piskies (he was Cornish), and was also a dowser of considerable repute. The other side of my family had tinkers going back a fair few generations. I inherited the dowsing bit, and a good dose of synaesthesia (which may be connected), and a love of tents, trailers, and outdoor living. And a healthy respect for myths, legends, lore and free food. As a teeny I got fed hedgehog by my granny which would have horrified my mum, if any of us had told her.
I might not believe it all, but I know it contributed to a very interesting childhood.
I've just checked a couple of reference books on British myths and lore and it seems elder is regarded as a witches tree, but like so many of these things it's a regional belief. When I was very little my very elderly aunt who made charms for people and was always being left little present by people she 'helped' had a whole hedge of elder - but she also made a lot of hedgerow wine.
I think I'm very lucky as along with my aunt, my grandma who was definitely the local crone and made the most of it! one of my great uncles could charm shingles, and saw piskies (he was Cornish), and was also a dowser of considerable repute. The other side of my family had tinkers going back a fair few generations. I inherited the dowsing bit, and a good dose of synaesthesia (which may be connected), and a love of tents, trailers, and outdoor living. And a healthy respect for myths, legends, lore and free food. As a teeny I got fed hedgehog by my granny which would have horrified my mum, if any of us had told her.
I might not believe it all, but I know it contributed to a very interesting childhood.
Here we have two types of Hawthorn, the Common and the Midland, the Midland is identified by the fact it has two seeds in its fruit whereas the Common has only one.
If you want to do something to help the rarer trees with a connection to Wales (your location on forum) you could try to grow a Ley's Whitebeam (Sorbus Leyana) they are exceptionally rare with only about 23 specimens left in the whole world and they are all located in one place on a hillside at Penmoelallt Forest by Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales. They require a specific location to be able to grow successfully though so it would depend if your location was suitable. These rare trees are cared for by the Merthy Tydfil & District Naturalist's Society so contact with them may provide necessary information about the trees.
Ley's Whitebeam (Sorbus Leyana)
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/societys-branching-out-teach-rare-1907181
If you want to do something to help the rarer trees with a connection to Wales (your location on forum) you could try to grow a Ley's Whitebeam (Sorbus Leyana) they are exceptionally rare with only about 23 specimens left in the whole world and they are all located in one place on a hillside at Penmoelallt Forest by Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales. They require a specific location to be able to grow successfully though so it would depend if your location was suitable. These rare trees are cared for by the Merthy Tydfil & District Naturalist's Society so contact with them may provide necessary information about the trees.
Ley's Whitebeam (Sorbus Leyana)
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/societys-branching-out-teach-rare-1907181
