1. Nuts

Contains a hard outer shell around an edible kernel.

• Almonds
• Cobnuts
• Filberts
• Pecan Nuts
• Sweet Chestnuts
• Walnuts

2. Soft Fruits

Bush fruits:

Fruits grown on naturally shrubby, compact bushes.

• Blackcurrants
• Blueberries
• Gooseberries
• Redcurrants
• Whitecurrants

Cane fruits:

Fruits produced on cane-like shoots, usually borne on the previous years growth.

• Blackberries
• Raspberries

Herbaceous fruits

• Strawberries

3. Tender Fruits

Fruits that need warm, sub-tropical temperatures.

• Avocado Pears
• Citrus
• Guavas
• Loquats
• Mangoes
• Olives
• Papayas
• Pineapples
• Pomegranates
• Prickly Pears
• Tree Tomatoes

4. Tree Fruits

Pome fruits:

Fleshy fruits with seeds and a core.

• Apples
• Medlars
• Pears
• Quinces

Stone fruits:

Fruits that contain a central stone.

• Apricots
• Cherries
• Damsons
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Plums

Other fruits

• Figs
• Mulberries
• Persimmons

5. Vine Fruits

Fruits that grow on woody climbers.

• Grapes
• Kiwi Fruits
• Passion Fruits

The most important thing is to choose a fruit (or fruits) that you enjoy eating. If you like one particular fruit, think about selecting a variety that is not available or is difficult to find in the shops.

In some cultures, it is traditional to plant a fruit tree to commemorate the birth of a child; an apple for a baby boy, a pear for a baby girl.

It is also possible to buy trees with more than one variety of fruit grafted onto a single rootstock; these 'family trees' can provide you with a good choice of fruit even if you have very limited space. For example:

• Pear: 'Beth', 'Conference' and 'Concorde'
• Apple: 'Egremont Russet', 'Fiesta' and 'Sun'

With three different, compatible varieties grafted onto one tree, these trees are ideal for a small garden where space is at a premium.