Trees are our thing - if we had to go on Mastermind, they’d be our specialist subject. So it won’t surprise you to know that we take them very seriously! All of ours are grown in the South Downs by tree experts who’ve been doing things the traditional way for over a century. That’s why they’re stronger and healthier than others you can buy, and establish quickly no matter where you live. We’ve chosen only the best varieties of fruit, ornamental and native trees, so you can be sure you’re getting a tree that’s going to look beautiful for many years to come.
John’s family have been growing trees in the South Downs National Park for over a century, and it shows. Dug up and sent straight to your garden at between 18-36 months old, their quality rootstocks, expert pruning and natural pest control mean that these traditionally field-grown trees are the hardiest you can get.
Need help picking?
How to choose your tree
The perfect tree for your garden is one that is the right size and type for your garden, suits the position you’ve chosen for it and whose care needs match the time you have to spare.
But most importantly, it’s the tree you love most - whether that’s the juiciest apple, the most colourful cherry blossom or the one that brings the most birds to your garden, we’ll help you find it with this easy to follow guide.
What's the deal with rootstocks?
The eventual size of a fruit tree depends on its rootstock. This is the lower part of the tree, which is grafted to a scion (the flowering or fruiting part of the tree) to produce a tree with the best characteristics of both, which grows to a specific size. When choosing a tree, you should check the rootstock to find out what size the tree will grow to. If you want a large or medium tree, go for a Colt or St Julien A (SJA) rootstock, which will produce a tree of between 4.5 and 5m height. If you have less space, choose semi dwarfing or dwarfing rootstocks like M6, M106 or M27.
Getting the best from your tree
Most trees prefer to be planted in a sunny or partially shaded spot out of the way of any cold or drying winds, and in well draining soil. You’ll need to water them regularly until their root systems are established (this takes about a year) but after that, they’ll get most of their needs met by the rain. To keep your tree healthy, tidy and at a manageable size, you’ll probably need to do some pruning once or twice a year - and of course trees love a bit of mulch!
Check our individual tree pages to find out how to care for yours, or find out more with our growers’ tips and tricks.
