The Fruit Tree Nursery
Situated in the Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire the nursery was established in 2000 to grow fruit trees organically. It did not convert from non organic to organic. The aim was to grow varieties that had been grown over many years in the area long before the advent of modern pesticides we see today, when all things would have been ‘organic’ such as plums which our area is renowned for.
The Nursery Started with an initial availability over winter 2001-02 of 20 apple varieties & 4 plums. Since then we have expanded our range greatly to include over 80 varieties of dessert & culinary Apples as well as Cider and Crab apples. Being in a traditional plum growing area, we now offer over 30 varieties of Plum, Gage & Damson. some of these are local to the Vale of Evesham area such as Pershore Purple & Yellow Egg. We supply them all over the UK during the winter when they are dormant.
Apart from Apples & Plums we grow dessert Pears, a few culinary pears like Worcester Black, sweet large fruited Cherries, late ripening Quinces, Medlars Perry Pears for alcohol brewing, and Peaches. A small selection of fruit bushes, including Redcurrants, Blackcurrants, Gooseberries & Raspberry canes compliments the tree range.
Over the years our aims have only changed a little despite the far wider selection and increased amount grown. They can be summed up as follows:
- To grow a wide range of fruit trees that can be successfully grown in most parts of the UK that can provide fruit over as long a period as possible from cherries that ripen from early July to apples that can be stored until the following May. To grow a mix of the well known traditional varieties such as Apples Ashmead’s Kernel, James Grieve, Bramley as well as some of the more recent introductions such as Apples Fiesta, Rajka that can be so productive.
- To grow sustainably with thought for the environment both on the nursery and around it. Growing and removing a crop each year is not sustainable. We want to replace what we take out by leaving the land fallow for a number of years, about five, before cropping again and adding organic matter into the soil. Around the perimeters of the nursery native trees have been planted, including along Bow Brook which makes a boundary to one side of the Nursery. Organic cultivation is about producing in a sustainable manner for the continuing benefit of the soil, plants, animals, people and our wider environment. You can read more about what we do on our Sustainability on the Nursery page.
Each area of the UK has its own unique fruit varieties individual to that area. There are over 2000 varieties alone of apple bred in Britain. Being in an area of rich fruit growing heritage we aim to grow many of the trees native to Worcestershire. These include three plums, two pears and a wider selection of apples. These include the internationally well known Worcester Pearmain as well as more obscure varieties such as Chatley’s Kernel.
2015 was a significant year for us. Nursery facilities moved into a re-clad and repaired dutch barn which is suited to Nursery activity and receiving customers. We also became Royal Warrant holders to The Prince of Wales. We had been supplying them annually with varying quantities of trees for five years and were successful in our application.
You can place orders from late July through to early March. We keep our availability up to date during this time. We will then contact you to arrange delivery or collection when the plants have become dormant, between late November and late March. There are more details on our How to Order page.
Purchase an organic fruit tree and you will be sure how it has been produced. This must be reassuring whether you garden organically or not.
The best times for visiting are 9-5pm weekdays & 10-1pm on Saturdays between September and the end of March. You are welcome to inspect the trees by arrangement. During September & October we put together a display of fruits, mainly apples, for viewing & tasting in our Nursery building. See the Contact Us page for how to reach us.
Being a seasonal business there are three stages to our year:
- During the spring and summer months we are busy growing and developing the trees. Trees will be developing through this time.
- In the autumn – September & October, the trees will have largely grown so we are open for viewing & advice.
- From November, with the onset of dormancy trees & fruit bushes are available for collection through the winter months. Advice available.
The varieties and their details can be viewed in the Product Categories section. We hope you enjoy this website and look forward to hearing from you.
We are Soil Association certified. If you would like to see a copy of our Organic Certificate and Trading Schedule please contact us or click below.
View Soil Association Certificate
View Soil Association SA Trading Schedule
Plant Health
All our materials originate from high-grade, virus-free plants and are regularly checked by DEFRA plant health inspectors.
This all ensures that your trees leave the nursery as healthy as possible for a good start to their life. Below are a few photos of the products we grow.
