Apple blossom has a special knack for making a garden feel hopeful. After the long, grey stretch of winter, those clusters of pink-tinged buds opening into white flowers are a genuine lift — not loud or gaudy, just quietly generous. In a UK spring, especially on those bright days that still have a chill in the air, an apple in flower feels like the garden’s turning point. And because the flowers arrive on bare-to-freshening branches, you really notice them. It’s one of the loveliest seasonal sights you can grow at home.
Common name: Apple tree.
Latin name: Malus domestica (garden and orchard apple varieties).
Size in UK gardens: Usually 2–4m on smaller rootstocks, or 4–6m+ on more vigorous ones; can be kept smaller with training and pruning.
Best position: Full sun in an open spot with reasonable shelter for blossom and good ripening.
Soil: Moist but well-drained, reasonably fertile soil; improves with annual mulching.
Flowering time: Spring (typically April–May, depending on variety and season).
Fragrance: Lightly scented blossom, usually subtle rather than strong.
Hardiness: Very hardy in most UK gardens.
Care level: Moderate – straightforward, but best crops come with pollination planning and a little annual pruning.
Rather than travelling halfway across Europe, our mimosa trees are grown on site by the Simpson’s team. They’re toughened to local conditions, properly potted, and ready to get growing the moment you plant them.
Planting time: As container-grown plants, apple trees can be planted in most months when the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged; spring and autumn are usually easiest.
Watering: Water well in the first 1–2 seasons and during dry spells; consistent moisture helps fruit swell and reduces stress.
Feeding: A spring mulch of compost or well-rotted manure is usually enough; a light balanced feed in spring can help on poorer soils.
Pruning: Annual pruning keeps trees productive and well shaped; trained forms need a little summer tidying too.
Winter: Very hardy; focus more on soil health and shelter for blossom than on winter protection.
Availability is always changing, so please check with us if you have a particular variety in mind.
When the rest of the garden is still rubbing its eyes, Acacia dealbata is already wide awake – cloaked in soft, silver foliage and clouds of golden pom‑poms. It’s the archetypal mimosa: fast‑growing, generously scented and guaranteed to turn heads on a bright February day.
Typical Sizes We Stock: 10 Litre and 5 Litre Pots.
‘Purpurea’ adds a touch of drama: new leaves flush rich purple before maturing to misty grey‑green, so even out of flower it’s a picture. Come late winter, the yellow blossom lights up the dusky foliage and the whole tree looks as if it’s been dusted with sunshine.
