You don't need an orchard to grow your own fruit. These compact options crop hard in even a small space.
Created by jflgardens.co.uk
If you assumed fruit needs an orchard, think again. Raspberries in a corner, a fan-trained apple against a wall, strawberries in a hanging basket — a full-fledged fruit patch fits into surprising small spaces.
Fruit trees trained against a wall or fence — espaliers, fans and cordons — take a fraction of the space of a free-standing tree while still cropping well. A sunny south or west wall is prime real estate for them.
Cordons are the small-garden winner: a single straight stem of an apple or pear angled against wires takes very little room and can run down a shared boundary.
Raspberries and currants (black, red, white) are compact, reliable and easy. A row of raspberry canes against a fence gives a surprisingly big crop for its footprint, and one or two currant bushes produce buckets.
Blueberries do well in a large pot with ericaceous (lime-free) soil — perfect for a patio where the ground might be too alkaline for them.
Strawberries are the ultimate small-space fruit: they grow in the ground, in pots, in hanging baskets, in purpose-built towers and even in gutters on a wall. Succession-plant a few crops for weeks of picking.
Because they crop in their first summer, they're one of the most rewarding fruits for a new grower — plant in early spring and pick within months.
Different fruit wants different amounts of sun, shelter and soil, so choose to match your spot. Whatever you grow, pick alongside the wildlife — net soft fruit from the birds and you'll share the harvest rather than lose it.
From planting & borders to a full growing-style overhaul, the JFL Gardens team works across Surrey and London.
