It is important to choose trees that will thrive in the climate conditions of your garden.

Make a close note of the temperature, rainfall, frost patterns and amount of shelter your garden receives, and take this into account when selecting your cultivars. Although most parts of the British Isles can grow some kind of fruit, difficult areas may include:

• Areas of high rainfall (more than 1 m or 3 ft per year). These wet conditions tend to increase the incidence of diseases.
• Altitudes of over 120 m (400 ft)
• Harsh coastal strips
• Very exposed sites

However, there are varieties to suit different varying conditions across the country, for example:

• Prunus domestica 'Bonne de Bry' is a plum cultivar that is resistant to frost,
• Pyrus communis 'Bristol Cross' is a pear variety suitable for growing in wet regions,
• Malus domestica 'Belfleur Krasnyi' is a hardy dessert apple that is ideal for cultivating in northern Britain.

You will need to take take climatic factors into account when deciding whether to plant early or late-ripening cultivars; fruits such as late-ripening apples or pears are not a good choice for a shady garden or a region with a short summer as the fruit may not receive enough sun to ripen fully.