Apple (Malus) Discovery — Patio, 11.5L container, M27

Bright, crisp and flushed with scarlet, Discovery is one of Britain's best-loved early apples, and this patio-sized tree brings that late-summer treat within reach of even the smallest garden. Raised in Essex in 1949 and holding the RHS Award of Garden Merit, it produces sweet, juicy fruit with a refreshing sharpness and a hint of strawberry. The apples are ready straight from the tree from late August, making it one of the first apples of the season.

Grafted onto the very dwarfing M27 rootstock, this tree reaches around 1.5–1.8m tall with a similar spread, which makes it ideal for a large patio container, a small border or a courtyard. Discovery is reliably hardy, has good natural resistance to scab and mildew, and its blossom copes well with late spring frosts. It is not self-fertile, so plant it near another apple from pollination groups 2, 3 or 4, such as James Grieve, Sunset or Worcester Pearmain. In most built-up areas a neighbouring tree will do the job.

Grow in full sun or light shade in a well-drained, loam-based compost, and move into a pot of at least 50cm across as the tree establishes. M27 trees have a small root system, so keep them permanently staked and water regularly through the growing season, especially while fruit is swelling. A spring feed with a balanced fertiliser keeps cropping steady. Discovery is best enjoyed fresh, as the apples keep for only a week or so after picking. Trees on M27 usually begin fruiting within a couple of years of planting.

Each tree is hand-selected before dispatch.

Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.