Plant a quince? Something else? Your recommendations please!

I'm just arranging for the removal of a 30+ year old holly tree (Handsworth New Silver) - not only has it grown too large for my small London garden, it's now suffering badly from holly leaf blight: Holly leaf blight / RHS Gardening.

While I'm sad to see it go, this is also an exciting opportunity to choose and plant a new tree.

The garden's quite sunny, and very sheltered - in fact a bit stuffy, which probably accounts for the holly leaf blight. The tree would go in the north-facing border but even that should be quite a sunny position.

I've got a crab apple (Jelly King) already. I'd like another deciduous tree, something beautiful that won't grow too big or too vigorous. Flowers and edible fruit - for me and/ or the wildlife - would be perfect.

Maybe a quince? Do any of you have one? I know a neighbour has one that bears well. Champion and Vranja seem to be the most widely available varieties; I love cooking with quinces, and both the fruits and the flowers are so pretty.

I'd also wondered about an ornamental pear (pyrus salicifolia) - I saw one that had been most attractively topiarised recently, into a sort of umbrella shape - or a hawthorn.

Or an acer? There seem to be a bewildering number of different kinds of those....

Any other good ideas or personal favourites you might like to put forward will be most welcome

 

I have just planted a quince, and excited to see it coming into leaf. I bought a Meeches Prolific, from Keepers Nursery (as recommended to me by @wiseowl). They seen to carry more varieties than most specialist nurseries I have looked at on line. Very helpful, and friendly when I go to collect my orders.

I have seen a couple of old, old quince trees, and yes, they seem very attractive trees. Another idea - a medlar tree? We planted one about 4 years ago, and got our first good bletted crop off it last year. Made very interesting medlar jelly. The tree is quite compact. The flowers are not quite as pretty as apples or pears, but it has proved a good conversation point!

 

I've got a total of seven quince bushes in my garden. Three of one variety in a north border, and four of another in a south border.

Cant remember the variety in the north border, but it is the more vigorous of the two. Having said that, the others "cidi" give the most fruit by far.

 

I've got one...'Portugal'. Very big and pretty pink flowers and much too much fruit. I find that you can get tired of quince jelly fairly quickly

 

Try making cotognata with them instead...

 

What on earth is that? I've tried making membrillo a couple of times (quince paste/cheese) but it didn't want to dry out Ah..it's the same thing but in Italian

 

Its the Italian version of membrillo. Easy to make, even I can do it. Crostini, slice of pecorino nero, and cotognata...heaven!

 

@Clare G, In a sheltered garden like yours, I'd go for a peach tree. I believe 'Red Haven' is resistant to peach leaf curl, which would be a bonus!

 

Mods, are you going to allow that sort of language to proliferate on the forum?

 

How about a damson? Lovely fruit. If you can do without fruit, acer griseum is an absolutely beautiful tree, and I found it grows very slowly.

 

Thanks everybody - you have given me some nice new possibilities to check out! !

I'll report back in due course on on my decision.

 

Thank you all again for your input. Some lovely trees there - if I had room I would find a place for them all .

Having got the holly down, I realised that what would work best is a tree that in addition to fulfilling my initial criteria is columnar or at least slender in shape. That way it can create a bit of height, while blocking the view of one neighbour's ugly extension, and complementing another one's handsome Golden Irish Yew.

So - after a bit of hunting around, I found and ordered this rowan: Sorbus Autumn Spire - Rowan Tree

I've always liked rowans, pretty but undemanding trees which do well as street trees round here. This one is the right sort of shape and shouldn't grow too large; I'm looking forward to trying my hand at rowan jelly in due course, that is if the birds don't get to the berries first.

 

Oh lovely! I do love a mountain ash!!