Fruit of the Moment - Christmas Pearmain

Christmas Pearmain

With thoughts of the Christmas season, there are memories of varieties like Egremont Russet which at one time were generally only available in December. Another favourite was Blenheim Orange which was often found in Christmas stockings just when the flavour was at its most rich and distinctive.

Some apple and pear names contain references to their optimum period of tasting whether it is September, October, Michaelmas or even Christmas.

George Bunyard, and later his son Edward, working as nursery-men at Maidstone in Kent, introduced many varieties, some of which became favourites. On of these, dating from the late 19th Century, is CHRISTMAS PEARMAIN.

You will learn more about these varieties at the Brogdale Linnean Lecture in London at the Linnean Society, Piccadilly on Saturday 25th November 2006 at 11:30am (apply to Brogdale for free tickets).

The Christmas Pearmain is richly flavoured and sweet. A first rate, pretty apple for Noel, which will keep into January.

Fruit of the Moment - Charles Ross Apple

As part of an initiative with Kent County Council, each week a class in Kent has been receiving a box of eating apples.

This is part of a campaign throughout England to encourage healthy eating and also remind the public that we still grow some of the World’s finest apple varieties. Many young people do not realise the range of fruit that was once available, locally grown and locally eaten.

Charles Ross

The first school, in Margate, received thirty five examples of that handsome variety Charles Ross which was once grown more widely in Kent.

Andrew Horne, who is supervising the picking of these school apples, chose Charles Ross for its visual appeal but it was hoped the pupils would enjoy its taste and flavour too and be encouraged to sample more home-grown fruit.

The apple is named after the head gardener at Welford Park, Newbury, Berkshire. He was active in fruit cultivation and development at the end of the 19th Century. A cross between Peargood Nonsuch, itself a large and striking apple, and Cox, it was first shown in 1890 under the name of “Thomas Andrew Knight” the great fruit developer and president of the Royal Horticultural Society nearly a century before. Ross was persuaded to name it after himself by a friend once the trees were available to the public.

The apple is esteemed as both an eater and cooker and is admired for its fine colouring, shape and size. It is still grown in England and is worth searching out. Scotland is another country where it is grown. Picked in Kent in mid-September it will keep for a couple of months for use later.

The jewel of Kentish orchards and a true Kentish Favourite is the Greengage. This sweet rich flavoured fruit is still sold widely in parts of Kent and its distinctive round green form can be seen near the Medway Towns and close to Canterbury.

Old Greengage

Reine Claude

Fruit known as VERDOCH from an Italian word suggesting green, the greengage came to England from France and Italy and was known to connoisseurs in the seventeenth century. In most countries its name comes from the French "Reine Claude", the Queen of Francis I (1494 - 1547). It is an important commercial crop in France and quantities are imported into England before our own fruit is ready in early August. The English name comes from the labelling of some of the first fruit trees to come to England from Paris. The recipients were the Gage family and their name on the trees was mistakenly believed to be the name of the fruit! The first trees planted were at Hengrave Hall in Suffolk. Later Jervais Coe originated his famous" Golden Drop" plum which was a cross employing the greengage. Could this parent have come from Hengrave which is not far from Bury St Edmunds where Coe was working?

Early Transparent Gage Many late season greengages have been developed in France and Belgium. In this country as well as the traditional greengage look out for other sorts. The smaller fruited, but in favourable conditions very productive, Early Transparent Gage was raised by Rivers in Herefordshire. Along with Essex and Cambridgeshire this county is an important producer of greengages for conserves. The Cambridge Gage, a reliable and productive cropper, was used by Chiver's the famous jam producers at Histon and at Tiptree in Essex it continues to supply Wilkins for their products. Jams produced on site by Classic Preserves with Brogdale greengages are on sale at our own shop.

Cambridge Gage

Oullins Gage

A self-fertile variety esteemed by many is the Oullins Gage. This was raised in France and introduced here by Rivers in the 1850's. It is slower to fruit than some types and perhaps less juicy but the flesh is sweet and firm and cropping is good.

All greengages require sunny, sheltered sites obviously with little frost. In most cases pollinators are required although the Cambridge Gage is partially self -fertile. They could be grown alongside other plums such as Czar, Mirabelle de Nancy and Kirke's. The Ouillins Gage will pollinate other gages. Two other varieties to consider are the mid -season Bryanston's Gage and the later Belgian variety self-fertile Reine-Clause de Bavay. Many of the above varieties are available as bare rooted trees from our own plant centre at Brogdale during the late Autumn and Winter.

Bryanston's Gage

Although not commonly found this variety is worth searching for. It is very dark crimson/black when ripe with juicy crimson flesh giving a sweet taste.

Since Thomas Andrew Knight introduced it in 1815 larger sized varieties have taken its place but it is still occasionally grown in this country and in North America.

Once it was a major variety in Kent grown alongside Roundel. The latter was favoured as Waterloo's fruit tends to be scattered across the tree and not grouped.
In Autumn the variety has pretty yellow leaves.It was an Amber x May Duke cross and was one of the first of a line of delicious cherries produced by Knight in Herefordshire.

It takes its name from the famous Battle of Waterloo as the first trees produced their fruit soon after this epic victory.

Fruit of the Moment - Cherry: Merton Glory
 

Amongst the finest quality white cherries to fruit in the National Collections is MERTON GLORY.

Like all cherries, apples and pears named Merton, this cherry was developed by John Innes.