Fruit trees for small spaces

Squeezing fruit trees into a small garden isn't as impossible as it seems. Train fruit against fences and you'll not only fit in one tree – you can choose several from the mouthwatering range in our Betchworth and Godstone garden centre. Here are some great ideas for fitting fruit into the smallest of gardens:

Minarettes: Vertical upright stems laden with fruit on short spurs. Great for growing in containers or for pretty vertical accents in your garden. Use for: apples, pears, plums and cherries.

Cordons: Also single-stemmed, but trained at 45º to encourage more fruit. Spaced 75cm apart you'll fit four varieties into just 3m. Use for: apples, pears, redcurrants, gooseberries

Espaliers: vertical stems with tiers of horizontal branches trained out at 30cm intervals along wires. A beautiful way to cover walls and fences. Use for: apples, pears, plums, apricots, peaches

Fans: branches are splayed out from two arms at the base in an even fan across the wall. Use for: plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots

Stepovers: like cordons but bent at right angles and trained horizontally to a wire at 45cm above the ground. They make wonderful edging. Use for: apples

Please ask the staff in our garden centre in Betchworth and Godstone for more information and advice about growing fruit trees in small spaces.