These are the best fruit trees for a small garden, say gardening experts – and what to look out for when buying them

Sprawling orchards might come to mind when we think of fruit trees, but even the tiniest garden can offer fresh pickings for the fruit bowl. To make that a reality, though, you'll need to select one of the best fruit trees for a small garden.

If you're working with small garden ideas, you're probably wondering how on earth you'll find space for a fruit tree. The good news is that there are plenty of options on the market which are designed for compact gardens, patio ideas and the like.

'For smaller gardens, you want to be looking mainly for dwarf varieties, patio trees and ordinary varieties grafted onto dwarf rootstocks,' explains Hannah Rowson, assistant garden centre manager at J. Parker's.

If you're wondering what rootstocks are, we'll take a closer look at those in a second. We also checked in with gardening experts to get their take on the best fruit trees for a small garden, and from those insights, we've compiled a list of the varieties you'll want to add to your list.

How to choose the right fruit tree for a small garden

First of all, we need to look at why certain fruit trees are better suited to small gardens. It's a little technical, but it all comes down to the rootstock the tree is grafted onto.

The rootstock is the lower, often underground part of a tree which restricts the vigour of the tree. In other words, it's the part that controls the tree's size, so choosing the right rootstock is key if you're working with a small space. Certain rootstocks provide other perks like disease resistance, too.

'Dwarf rootstocks are a way of naturally restricting the size they can grow to, without affecting the harvest,' explains Hannah.

With this in mind, we asked a panel of gardening experts for their variety recommendations...

Hannah Rowson

Hannah Rowson has been with bulb specialist J.Parker's for over 8 years. RHS qualified, Hannah is a fountain of knowledge for all things gardening and horticulture, and has even had her garden designs displayed at RHS Tatton Flower Show.

Best fruit trees for a small garden

1. Apple 'Golden Delicious' (Dwarf)

You've probably heard of 'Golden Delicious' apples before – they're one of the most popular cultivars, boasting golden-green fruits which are perfect for eating alone or cooking with.

But before you buy the first bare root tree you see, it's important to look at the rootstock it's growing on.

'Without getting too technical, any apple – whether it’s a 'Golden Delicious' or a 'Keswick Codlin' – can be grown on a rootstock,' explains Heather Birkett, garden and outdoors manager at the National Trust's Acorn Bank in the Lake District, where over 175 apple varieties grow in the traditional fruit orchards.

'For example, while the rootstock known as M25 will give a larger tree that you could graze livestock below, the rootstock M9 will give a much smaller tree, more suited to a small garden. It could even be grown in a pot!'

Where to buy dwarf apple 'Golden Delicious':

• Thompson & Morgan: Buy apple 'Golden Delicious' with P22 rootstock which produces dwarf trees
• Crocus: Apple 'Golden Delicious' is available with semi-dwarfing MM106 rootstock

2. Apple 'Redspur'

Fancy delicious red apples? Apple 'Redspur' is another of the best fruit trees for a small garden – it's a dwarf tree, producing sweet red fruits which are similar to the classic 'Red Delicious' apples.

'Dwarf apple 'Redspur' is ideal for growing in small gardens or patios,' says Hannah from J. Parker's. 'They can even be grown in pots, giving you the same delicious fruit yearly and taking up a fraction of the space.'

Learning how to prune fruit trees for a better harvest could earn you a bumper crop each year. You'll need to time it right, though, so knowing when to prune apple trees is a must.

3. Pear 'Lilliput'

If pears are on your gardening bucket list but you have a small garden, consider the dwarf pear 'Lilliput'. Like apple 'Redspur', it can be grown in pots on the patio.

'Dwarf pear trees such as 'Lilliput' are a great choice for a compact, fruit-bearing tree for a small garden,' says Hannah.

'They’re similar to apples in the sense that they can be hard pruned as full-size trees, but dwarf varieties grow to a maximum of two metres tall, all while producing impressive, full-size fruit in harvest season.'

4. Pear 'Doyenné du Comice'

According to Mark Dwelly, head gardener at Audley Villages, pyramid pears are among the best fruit trees for a small garden.

'These trees have a narrow, upright growth habit, making them great for small gardens,' he explains. 'Varieties like 'Doyenné du Comice' are popular.'

Learning when to prune pear trees once they're established will help you enjoy the delicious, rich fruits of 'Doyenné du Comice' every year.

Where to buy Pear 'Doyenné du Comice':

• Thompson & Morgan: Pear 'Doyenné du Comice' is available in Quince C rootstock for smaller gardens
• Gardening Express: Grow Pear 'Doyenné du Comice' in pots on the patio

Mark Dwelly

Mark Dwelly got into gardening after paying attention to green spaces when playing golf. He went to horticultural college and his career stemmed from there. After looking after the grounds of a private school, he then started at Audley Stanbridge Earls, looking after 32 mixed acres of woodlands, lakes and vast gardens. He since has been promoted to Head Gardener for the group.

5. Cherry 'Pigmy Kordia'

Next up on our list of the best fruit trees for a small garden are cherries. Although they're less common in UK gardens, cherry trees are relatively easy to grow, even for novice gardeners. Plus, there are several brilliant compact varieties to choose from.

'Cherry 'Pigmy Kordia' is an RHS Award of Garden Merit-winning fruit tree, growing to 180cm tall at its peak,' says Hannah. 'It's perfect for planting in a border or pots, making it a great choice for small gardens, and produces an abundance of larger-than-average, high-quality fruit.'

6. Cherry 'Sunburst

Columnar cherries are another type of fruit tree that Mark recommends for a small garden.

'These trees have a narrow, upright growth habit, making them a great addition to small spaces,' he says. ''Stella' and 'Sunburst' are good choices to grow.'

Cherry 'Sunburst' produces large, almost-black fruits from mid-July, and it's a self-fertile variety, meaning you can successfully grow it on its own without investing in extra trees.

7. Dwarf Plum 'Victoria'

Plum 'Victoria' is another popular variety you've probably heard of before, but according to Mark, the dwarf version of this tree is perfect for small gardens.

'Varieties like 'Victoria' or 'Greengage' are popular columnar plums,' Mark says. 'These trees have a narrow, upright growth habit, making them ideal for small gardens.'

Choose a tree that grows on a dwarfing rootstock like VVA-1 or Pixy to limit its ultimate size. Pruning will also help maintain the tree's shape, but learning when to prune plum trees is crucial if you want to limit the spread of silver leaf disease.

8. Plum 'Black Amber'

We also asked Hannah from J. Parker's for her thoughts on the best plum tree for a small garden.

'Plum 'Black Amber' is the best pick for a small garden, only growing to a maximum of 150-200cm tall,' she said. 'They produce delicious fruit in the first year, and lots of it! This dwarf tree is great for pots and patios, just like the other varieties mentioned above.'

As well as the tasty thick-skinned fruits which are ready to harvest between late summer and early autumn, you'll enjoy beautiful pink-flushed-white blossom in the spring.

FAQs

What is the best fruit tree to grow for beginners?

If you're looking for the easiest fruit trees to grow, apples, pears and plums are a great place to start. Although they still require annual pruning to maintain shape and productivity, they're relatively low-maintenance trees. Most varieties are reliable croppers, too, so they're perfect for beginners.

Can any fruit tree be kept small?

Most fruit trees can be grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock to control their size. Plus, pruning and training can limit the growth of many types of fruit tree.

There are some varieties that aren't suited to small garden life, though.

Take apples, for example. 'A few apple trees are significantly more vigorous and are best avoided for small gardens,' says Heather from Acorn Bank. 'This includes 'Bramley', 'Holstein' and 'Blenheim Orange', especially as they also need two other apple trees in the vicinity to pollinate them in order to get fruit, rather than just one other.'

Which fruit trees will you be trying out?