[Pimento]

Please can anyone recommend a nice, small variety for my new half-plot? It will be in a sunny but pretty windy spot.

Thanks!

[Yorkie]

The variety is different from the size, which is governed by the rootstock.

I'm not familiar with cherry varieties or rootstocks but while you're waiting for other replies you could look at the website of RV Roger in Pickering. They really know their stuff.

[Pimento]

Ta!

[Goosegirl]

I had an ornamental cherry but it didn't do at all well - just saying this because I live in a very windy area but they are salt-laden winds. If you're not near the sea then go with Yorkie - it may not be cheap but at least it should be the size you want, a good grower, and you won't be wasting money.

[moose]

Nearby allotment has a cherry but they rarely get to eat the fruit, the birds know exactly the right day to pick them.

[Pimento]

Thanks very much, all! Yes, I did wonder about the birds, Moose! My mum had an ornamental cherry and the birds used to devour the fruits.

[snowdrops]

I've got a cherry tree on my plot,a morello courtesy of a link to a freebie on here when I first joined. It produces well & the birds do help themselves & I do need to net it but I do get some cherries & made a few jars of fabulous jam .

[Pimento]

Thanks Snowdrops, you've given me courage!

Yorkie, I've ordered a bush version of 'Stella' from RV Roger on their advice - tough, very productive and easily contained, they tell me! Thanks for the tip.

Pim.

[Yorkie]

Excellent - it's often useful to get advice from experts who grow in the same type of climate as the destination garden.  I've never been to them but have heard very good reports of their produce.

[BumbleJo]

Just to echo Yorkie, we live just up the road from Roger's and bought all our fruit trees and currant bushes from them 18 months ago when we got our plot.  Apart from two gooseberry bushes which for some reason never grew the rest have done brilliantly so far including a Morello cherry.  Got two cherries on it the first summer which was a welcome surprise!  Looking forward to more this year.  Roger's were happy to replace the gooseberry bushes which are now doing fine. They have a very comprehensive catalogue also.   

[simonwatson]

I've got three on Gisela 5 in my front garden, which is a pretty windy spot in Newcastle upon Tyne. They are:

Stella, Merton Premier and Summer Sun. They are planted very close together to make a single bush. Even then, the Merton Premier gets much less fruit than the other two, but all grow well and look healthy.