A simple definition would be to call it an orchard where nuts are grown instead of, or as well as, fruit trees. If you envisage grazing or mowing between trees, nitrogen-fixing clovers — notably the long-lasting red and white clover — are excellent; they enrich the soil and attract beneficial insects. In a forest-garden approach, the planting is based on a natural woodland and tiered from trees through shrubs and herbaceous layers to ground cover; in an ornamental garden situation, the opportunity for planting species that thrive in semi-shade is considerable. Although the most tender of these four nut trees, Almond, Prunus dulcis, should still provide you with a crop even in an ‘average’ summer. Give them a sunny sheltered spot and frost protection. Their pretty pale pink blossom flowers on bare stems, and a late frost can be highly detrimental! Encourage insect pollinators with plenty of winter and early spring flowering shrubs. Hazels are not self-pollinating, so you’ll need a compatible pollination partner for a nut harvest. The best solution in this case is to use a caged bird feeder. These stop squirrels from being able to access your bird food , while still allowing small birds -- like tits and Robins --to access it.

These days it is more rare for humans to distribute the seeds that way. But we do propagate and grow fruit trees as we enjoy eating the fruit, so it is still a positive result for the plant.Broadview’ and ‘Franquette’ are reliable, early yielding, delicious cultivars. ‘Rita’ is smaller than most There are 17 or so Hazel species growing across Europe, parts of North Africa, Western Asia and North America. The British native hazel is Corylus avellana, usually called the cob. But Corylus maxima, native to southern Europe, is also easily found for sale, and is generally referred to as the filbert.

Nuts offer us something different. We rarely eat the outer shell, although we may use it for other things. What we’re after – just like squirrels – is the vitamin and protein rich seed inside: ie the nut. Producing these rich seeds is an energy expensive business for the tree, and the gain is less sure than with fruit. Some animals, squirrels for example, are good propagators as they bury many nuts but don’t eat them all. But as with fruit trees, humans do propagate and grow nut trees, although not to the same extent in a garden context. If you’re planting more than a few nut trees, make a scaled plan on graph paper; consider planting in alternate rows, offset so that the pattern of trees is in triangles rather than squares, allowing rows to be closer, but also maintaining the distance between trees

Word History

Some examples of nutteries and mini orchards including nut trees that I’ve created over the years for clients and myself include the following tree types and numbers – At nearly 800ft, Stow-on-the-Wold is the highest of the Cotswold towns and is famous as a centre for antiques. The Roman Fosse Way from Cirencester to Leicester passes through it and it probably dates from a prehistoric fortified settlement on top of the hill.

Historic examples show that there were a selection of ways to include nut trees within a garden or walled garden. The nuttery could be a part of the orchard, often with the nut trees grown to one side rather than scattered throughout. Or there might be an avenue of nut trees, possibly sweet chestnut or walnut, leading to the orchard. Hazel was also grown as a tunnel, keeping the nuts within easy reach for harvesting, and hopefully with less depravation by squirrels. Window display at the House of the Tailor of Gloucester based on Beatrix Potter’s story. Photo: Rudi Winter/geograph.org.uk Set out your plan with canes — any undulation can throw a plan out. Views are important, so finesse by eye There are many different nuts, some easier to grow in the UK than others. Here, we’ll have a little look at the four which are going to be the easiest to grow outside in your garden. Although which ones you choose will depend upon where you live, the size of your garden and whether you have , for example, a heated greenhouse.

College Court, right next to ancient St Michael’s Gatewas adopted by Beatrix Potter for her story The Tailor of Gloucester and is now a small shop and museum. Photo: Colin Smith/geograph.org.uk Finally, squirrels can frighten birds -- especially smaller birds . If you are putting out food so that you can spot smaller, rarer UK garden birds , this can cause an issue. Another tree that likes warm climates, sweet chestnuts were possibly introduced to Britain by the Romans.

They make an even bigger tree than the walnut and are not reliably self-fertile so a pollinating partner is generally needed. However, if you only have room for one tree, Marigoule is the most reliable partially self-fertile variety. Most sweet chestnut trees sold are the species or an ornamental cultivar, the latter being no good for nut production. Commercial nut growing has also been part of the food production for a few hundred years, especially in Kent, Nottingham, Gloucestershire, Sussex and Suffolk. Although we think of these as nutteries, the term plat or nut plat is more commonly used in southern England.Strictly speaking, the nut trees need to form a cohesive group to be classed as nuttery. As we’ve seen in examples above, this still gives scope. But, as we are discussing a garden situation, there’s no reason why we can’t be even more flexible. For example, you may not have space to plant three walnut trees together but you do have room by spreading them out. Add in a sweet chestnut to give you a shady seating area, a couple of almond trees near your olive and a row of hazel as boundary for the kitchen garden and I think we could safely say you have a decent sized nuttery in your garden. Belle Epine’, ‘Bouche de Bétizac’, ‘Marigoule’, ‘Marlhac’. ‘Marigoule’ is the most reliable partially self-fertile variety Be sure to buy Prunus dulcis dulcis, the sweet almond, and not Prunus dulcis amara, the bitter almond. This latter is the one used for flavourings and is not one you’d want to eat from the tree! With a huge number of tables both inside and out it’s ideal for cycling groups of all sizes as you can see by our photos, on a Sunday morning you can be sure of good company, coffee and cake. Advanced bookings are most welcome and encouraged for larger cycling clubs.