[666]

I would like to buy a plum tree to put into my back garden.  It is not a huge garden but I feel it could do with one tree (plums being my favourite)

Can you recommend a nice variety?  Easy for beginners?  One that doesn't get too big? Do they need a partner?

I'm not even sure if any or all of the above is possible.   Any advice would be great.

[SG6]

As you appear to be in Cumbria I would suspect that  late flowering variety is most appropriate.

Marjorie's seedling is a dual purpose plum,
Oullin's Golden gage,
Early Transparent gage.

All say they are self fertile and all late flowering.

I had Oullin's Golden gage but it was a bit disappointing, tasted fine just not much fruit off it, actually very little off a fairly big tree, and I had others to pollinate.

Seems Early Transparent Gage is supposed to have a fine flavor.

Size will depend on the rootstock. Pixy is the smallest but it is not recommended by everyone for northern areas A pixy rootstcock also  needs good soil. Size should be around 10-15 ft.

Normal is St Julian but a bigger tree, but does handle poorer soild better.

[Stripey_cat]

You can keep a medium-sized tree smaller by pruning it as a fan or a festoon, which might be better than Pixy unless you have a very sheltered spot for it.

[SG6]

One other option is on the Ken Muir site, dig out their minerette trees. Sorry no good at spelling.

It is a range of fruit trees that develop as a single main trunk, 6-8 ft high, with small side branches, small being a few inches.

I have a williams pear one that I use to pollinate another pear. It is not pollinated itself and as said it is a pear. They do have plums/gages. Prices seem to be £22.

Cannot say if they are as productive as the ones used on the site, but may be worth thinking about as they are small in volume.

Think they may do duo ones but have not checked if that includes plums.

[dougsta]

My grandfather grew Victoria plums - they were utterly delicious.

[Ice]

My grandfather grew Victoria plums - they were utterly delicious.

Absolutely agree. 

[mumofstig]

I love Victoria plums and the tree is self fertile. The one in my friend's garden is prone to biennial fruiting......(it fruits so heavily one year that it has no strength to fruit the next)
But when it does fruit he has to prop the branches up to stop the weight of the fruit breaking the branches.......probably needs the fruit thinning out but hey ho

[Paul Plots]

One other option is on the Ken Muir site, dig out their minerette trees. Sorry no good at spelling.

It is a range of fruit trees that develop as a single main trunk, 6-8 ft high, with small side branches, small being a few inches.

I have a williams pear one that I use to pollinate another pear. It is not pollinated itself and as said it is a pear. They do have plums/gages. Prices seem to be £22.

Cannot say if they are as productive as the ones used on the site, but may be worth thinking about as they are small in volume.

Think they may do duo ones but have not checked if that includes plums.

My father-in-law has two of these (apple trees) in a relatively compact London garden. They were planted when my children were young (now 20s) and have grown to a wonderful height but are like pencils in width. Quite amazing trees and they crop really well every other year. Each looks like a green stick / pencil - plastered in apples.

I didn't realise a plum was possible in the same form. I must take a look. Thanks 

[SG6]

The Ken Muir site lists 10 different fruits, plums, cherries apples, pears etc on them. the cherry Plums sounds interesting. They are called Minarettes.

I may be wrong but I suspect that the ones you mention were ballarina apples. I have 2 and they are 8-10 ft.

For some reason I have the impression that the Ken Muir Minarettes are slightly different. More probably they have arrived at a similar plant by a different method. The one I have, Williams Pear, has never grown beyond 6-7 ft.

Whatever, if they are reasonably productive you could plant several fairly close and get a variety in a small space.

[Babstreefern]

If you go to a nursery, and explain exactly what you require in your plum tree, they will advise you of which tree is suitable.

I got my apple and cherry trees from the local nursery who were very helpful indeed (and obviously don't get confused with the garden centre as they charge the earth - pardon the pun), and don't buy any from the supermarket.