Window display at the House of the Tailor of Gloucester based on Beatrix Potter’s story. Photo: Rudi Winter/geograph.org.uk Belle Epine’, ‘Bouche de Bétizac’, ‘Marigoule’, ‘Marlhac’. ‘Marigoule’ is the most reliable partially self-fertile variety Also known as white walnut. Hardiest of the walnut family. Partially self-fertile and can be pollinated by walnuts and especially heartnuts Sweet chestnut about to bear fruit. How to plant a nut tree: What you need to know before you begin Commercial nut growing has also been part of the food production for a few hundred years, especially in Kent, Nottingham, Gloucestershire, Sussex and Suffolk. Although we think of these as nutteries, the term plat or nut plat is more commonly used in southern England.

If close to water, try varieties such as ‘Broadview’ that are resistant to leaf blotch and walnut blight

Do I need to stop squirrels from eating my bird food?

if you have room, grow one of the larger nut trees as a specimen tree – and of course it will provide shade, food for wildlife as well as a harvest for you Broadview’ and ‘Franquette’ are reliable, early yielding, delicious cultivars. ‘Rita’ is smaller than most Some examples of nutteries and mini orchards including nut trees that I’ve created over the years for clients and myself include the following tree types and numbers – At nearly 800ft, Stow-on-the-Wold is the highest of the Cotswold towns and is famous as a centre for antiques. The Roman Fosse Way from Cirencester to Leicester passes through it and it probably dates from a prehistoric fortified settlement on top of the hill. Finally, squirrels can frighten birds -- especially smaller birds . If you are putting out food so that you can spot smaller, rarer UK garden birds , this can cause an issue.

Grey Squirrels eating your bird food can cause issues if you are trying to attract wild birds into your garden. This is for several reasons. Firstly, it means that squirrels will eat the food faster and that you'll need to replace it more often. Walnut, Juglans regia, probably introduced into Britain in the sixteenth century. The taste difference between a fresh or green walnut and the dried ones most of us are familiar with, is vast. But you will need a large garden – some get up to 150 foot tall, although this will take a good few years. Or find the variety ‘Rita’ which makes about 30 foot tall. Remember that Walnut trees are wide so allow room for spread. Some easily available almonds for a nuttery include these two which are hardier and more resistant to leaf curl – In the UK hazel can be found growing in hedgerows; woodland and field edges; on scrubby upland and as an understorey plant where there is oak, ash or birch woodland. Which gives us a good idea that Corylus avellana is happy in a range of soils and situations. Tolerant of pH 5 – 8, but its less keen on heavy clay, so improve the drainage if that’s what you have. College Court, right next to ancient St Michael’s Gatewas adopted by Beatrix Potter for her story The Tailor of Gloucester and is now a small shop and museum. Photo: Colin Smith/geograph.org.ukMeet the friendly farm animals, donkeys, goats, alpaca and our two high land cows. Enjoy stunning walks around the estate, hire bikes, the tennis court or treat yourself to a spoiling massage. With dedicated games rooms for all to enjoy, children’s play area’s and a host of extra activities to choose from, Notgrove Holidays is ideal for those who love the countryside and want to enjoy the great outdoors. There are many different nuts, some easier to grow in the UK than others. Here, we’ll have a little look at the four which are going to be the easiest to grow outside in your garden. Although which ones you choose will depend upon where you live, the size of your garden and whether you have , for example, a heated greenhouse. Although the most tender of these four nut trees, Almond, Prunus dulcis, should still provide you with a crop even in an ‘average’ summer. Give them a sunny sheltered spot and frost protection. Their pretty pale pink blossom flowers on bare stems, and a late frost can be highly detrimental! Encourage insect pollinators with plenty of winter and early spring flowering shrubs. Peach leaf curl is another problem, due to the close relationship, so be sure not to plant almonds and peaches near each other.

They make an even bigger tree than the walnut and are not reliably self-fertile so a pollinating partner is generally needed. However, if you only have room for one tree, Marigoule is the most reliable partially self-fertile variety. Most sweet chestnut trees sold are the species or an ornamental cultivar, the latter being no good for nut production. You will generally need more than one walnut tree to ensure pollination, although some grafted trees should produce within 3 – 4 years. Nuts offer us something different. We rarely eat the outer shell, although we may use it for other things. What we’re after – just like squirrels – is the vitamin and protein rich seed inside: ie the nut. Producing these rich seeds is an energy expensive business for the tree, and the gain is less sure than with fruit. Some animals, squirrels for example, are good propagators as they bury many nuts but don’t eat them all. But as with fruit trees, humans do propagate and grow nut trees, although not to the same extent in a garden context.

Why do squirrels keep eating my bird food?

With a huge number of tables both inside and out it’s ideal for cycling groups of all sizes as you can see by our photos, on a Sunday morning you can be sure of good company, coffee and cake. Advanced bookings are most welcome and encouraged for larger cycling clubs. Soil fertility greatly affects the health and productivity of nuts. Even unfussy hazels and bladdernuts produce more abundantly in fertile, loamy soils. A neutral soil pH between six to seven is favoured by most; testing kits are available. It’s worth the minimal expense, as encouragement towards this happy medium is easy to undertake — add lime to reduce acidity and compost to dilute alkalinity. “Squirrel traps are all but essential if you have planted more than a couple of trees” How many trees do you need? Well, I don’t think you could claim that one tree makes a nuttery, so I would go with at least five. Which is the number I’ve suggested you’d need for a mini orchard (see blog link below). You wouldn’t need a huge garden to fit in five hazelnut trees, but if space is tight, perhaps we could say three hazel or two hazel and an almond makes a mini nuttery.