[evie2]

Does any one have experience of growing kiwi fruit in the Derbyshire area?  I'm considering getting one and wondered if it would be suitable to grow over a garden arch.

[Kristen]

I haven't grown them, but I'm of the opinion that the self fertile ones, which are hardier, have less flavour - and the separate Male / Female ones are less hardy and need a greenhouse, but taste better.  Likely to need males of different varieties to spread the pollination time too ...

... at which point in my deliberations I've never been able to persuade myself that it is worth growing them, as we grow primarily for flavour. (Mind you, folk often tell me that growing a rubbish variety, and picking it fresh, is better than a really tasty variety from the supermarket that has had to travel half way across the world before landing on my plate)

I used to be indecisive ...

[evie2]

I don't eat kiwi myself however the children and grandchildren do and fresh picked fruit is the best. The variety I was looking at is self pollinating, appears to be fine for the Derbyshire climate, the garden is south facing and having used the company many times I'm confident the plant will be healthy.
I've never grown anything that has to be trained/supported (apart from peas) before and the thought of having fruit dangling under an arch is quite apealing

[Kristen]

I've never grown anything that has to be trained/supported (apart from peas) before and the thought of having fruit dangling under an arch is quite apealing

I went to see Will Giles Exotic Garden (in Norwich) a few years back, round about this time of year. He has a long tunnel, made of metal arch hoops, and has a Kiwi climbing over that, and there were fruits dangling down just as you describe.  He also had an evergreen Clematis armandii climbing over it (and probably a bunch of other things too!) which I expect looked spectacular when in flower too.

[evie2]

That's what I'm after but on a smaller scale

[sunshineband]

That's what I'm after but on a smaller scale

I have seen a self fertile small fruited kiwi advertised by Dobies, and did wonder if I should add it to my seasonal present list? We bought some kiwi berries last year to eat and they were rather good.

The idea of growing it over an arch is quite appealing 

[evie2]

I wonder if they would grow alongside grapes, with wisteria to encourage bees, that would be really beautiful