Cherries have been grown in the UK since Roman times and still thrive

As the season gets warmer and the days get longer, clusters of pretty flowers can be spotted on trees almost anywhere in our northern streets. Cherry blossoms, generally associated with the fruiting Prunus genus - cherries, plums and peaches - certainly brighten even the greyest morning. Until recently, these beautiful displays could only be gained with the ornamental cultivated varieties such as Prunus ‘Ukon’, P. ‘Kojo-no-mai’, and P. ‘Beni-chidori’. However, new grafting techniques mean that edible fruit trees can also be grown in a domestic setting, not only for their delicious fruits but for their compact size and beauty. And cherries are so traditionally British!

Cherry trees once covered tens of thousands of acres across Britain. The Romans brought the first cherry to Britain from Persia in the 1st century AD. It is said you can trace old Roman roads by the wild cherry trees that grew up from the stones spat out by legions as they marched across the country. The south and west of England soon became famed for their glorious cherry orchards, but cherry orchards were lost in favour of growing other foods during the two World Wars and over the past 50 years 90% of its orchards have been lost.

Time for a cherry revival? Cherries can be sweet (Prunus avium) or acid (Prunus cerasus). Sweet cherries produce delicious fruit and are usually grown as small open trees, or trained as fans against walls or fences, but are too vigorous to be trained as espaliers or cordons. They can also be grown in large containers. If you choose a self-fertile cultivar, they will fruit without a pollination partner. Try sweet cherry ‘Lapins’, self-fertile, black fruits for picking in late summer; ‘Stella’ (AGM), self-fertile, dark red fruits for picking in mid-summer; and ‘Sunburst’, self-fertile, black fruits for picking in mid-summer.

Acid cherries are self-fertile, and do not need another tree to act as a pollinator. The fruits are too acidic to be eaten raw, but are excellent when cooked and make a very good jam. Good cultivars are the famous ‘Morello’ (AGM), self-fertile, excellent flavour, for picking in late summer; and ‘Nabella', self-fertile, for picking in late summer.

Cherry trees are generally propagated by grafting. Named cultivars will not come true from seed. Trees grown from seed or cuttings will be much larger trees than those grafted onto a chosen rootstock, and will be slower to start fruiting. Cherries on their own roots will naturally grow into

large trees, making them unsuitable for smaller gardens. They are therefore grafted onto rootstocks which act to limit their size and encourage earlier fruiting.

The most commonly used rootstock is the semi-vigorous ‘Colt’ that will restrict the growth of sweet cherries to about 6-8m (20-26ft). Semi-dwarfing rootstocks ‘Gisela 5’ and ‘Tabel’ will restrict their size to about 3-4m (10-13ft), making them suitable for growing as dwarf bush trees or possibly in a container. Acid cherries are less vigorous than sweet cherries, and usually grafted onto the semi-vigorous ‘Colt’ rootstock, growing to a height and spread of 3-3.5m (10-12ft).

Cherries prefer deep, fertile and well-drained soils with pH of 6.5-6.7 and will not thrive on shallow or badly drained sites. As cherries flower early in the year, choose a warm sheltered site, or grow against a south- or south-west facing wall or fence, although acid cherries will tolerate some shade and can be suitable for a north-facing wall.

Come and have a look at our ornamental Prunus trees at RHS Harlow Carr gardens, but make sure you come soon, as their blooms might not last much longer.

Jobs to do this week:

* Keep weeds under control

* Sow hardy annuals and herb seeds

* Sow your salad leaves, directly or under the glasshouse

* Cover fruits and tender crops until risk of frost has passed

* Sow root vegetables, eg. parsnips, carrots

* Harvest asparagus by cutting them underground

* Keep an eye on vegetables planted in the greenhouse. Don’t forget to water them. Have a look at the RHS website for more advice and expert tips https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice

With thanks to Lindzai Taylor, Horticulturist at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

DIARY DATES

Tuesdays in May, 11am: Harlow Carr Garden Tours Find out more about the garden on a tour with the Friends of Harlow Carr every Tuesday throughout May. A donation of £2 per person is suggested.

Throughout May: The Tulip Trail Tiptoe through the tulips at RHS Garden Harlow Carr as the garden celebrates the colour and scent offered by these beautiful bulbs. Get inspiration for your own garden with a range of striking planting schemes featuring more than 100 varieties of tulip – from traditional beds and borders to quirky containers. Pick up a trail leaflet to guide you to the highlights, and to see Curator Paul Cook’s

top 10 tulip recommendations. Don’t forget to visit the Plant Centre to pre-order your bulbs for striking displays next spring. Normal garden admission applies.

6 May – 30 June: The ‘Language of Flowers’ exhibition The Victorians believed that every flower - and some vegetables - carried a symbolic meaning: a hellebore for scandal, a rose for love. Learn about the symbolic meaning of flowers at an exhibition taking place at Harlow Carr’s library. Normal garden admission applies.