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Species: Quercus prinoides or hybrid. Our seeds are collected from trees that may have been cross-pollinated by closely related species so the resulting seedlings may be hybrids. 

History: Dwarf Chinquapin Oak (also spelled Chinkapin) is native to southern Ontario and much of the eastern and central United States. It was first described in 1801 by German botanist Karl Ludwig Willdenow but was likely well-known amongst indigenous groups in its range for its edible acorns.

Why We Grow It: Dwarf Chinquapin Oaks are most well known for producing mild sweet acorns that can be eaten raw or processed, making them popular with humans and wildlife alike. They are also quite quick to start producing acorns, only taking 3-5 years where some larger species may take decades. 

Species: Morus nigra

History: While the origins of the cultivar itself are unclear, Dwarf Everbearing mulberries can trace their history back to Mesopotamia and Persia where it is believed that Morus nigra originated. It can now be found naturalized in parts of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East where it has been cultivated for its edible properties. As a dwarf variety, Dwarf Everbearing is popular in gardens.

Why We Grow It: Soft and sweet with a hint of musk, it is hard to turn down fresh mulberries! In the right climate, Dwarf Everbearing will cycle in and out of fruiting for 10-12 weeks which gives you even more time to enjoy this lovely treat. It is also perfect for container growing, making a lovely patio plant in the summer and houseplant in the winter when pruned down to 4ft (for optimal fruiting).

2025 Staff Favourite

Early Golden Japanese plums are Jill's favourite this year! Jill has this to say: “The flavour reminds me of a peach, making it plum delicious and me peachy keen about it!”

All Staff Favourites are 20% off. The Staff Favourite Discount cannot be combined with other quantity discounts.

History: Early Golden originated in Fonthill, Ontario where it was discovered as a chance seedling. It has since become the most popular yellow plum in Ontario. Despite its Canadian origin, this is actually a Japanese plum. 

Why We Grow It: Early Golden is a very popular Japanese freestone plum. The medium-sized fruit is very sweet with tangy yellow skin that gets a cheery red blush where the sun hits it. Medium-sized. The tree is vigorous and has a low susceptibility to black knot, although it requires careful thinning or else it will tend to bear crops every other year.

Species: Cornus florida

History: Native to parts of southern Canada, the eastern United States, and parts of Mexico, this shrub is now considered endangered in Ontario due to dogwood anthracnose fungus. Eastern Flowering dogwood has been used by indigenous peoples as a malaria remedy and to produce red dye, practices later adopted by European colonizers. The hard wood is good for products such as golf club heads and mallets among other things. This showy plant has quite the reputation in the US where it is the State tree and/or flower of three states. To add to this, in 1915 forty saplings were given by the US to Japan as part of the 1912-1915 flower exchange between Tokyo and Washington DC. 

Why We Grow It: This small tree is a lovely addition to any property and the small red berries are attractive to various animals, although they are poisonous to humans. The fine-grained wood is also great for intricate carving and the tree has various medicinal uses.

Species: Cercis canadensis

History: Native to the eastern United States and parts of central Mexico, this tree may have once been native to southern Ontario but it is no longer found here naturally. It is still a fairly common sight since it has been widely planted as an ornamental tree due to its gorgeous profusion of pink flowers. The flowers and seeds have traditionally been eaten by indigenous peoples and people still enjoy them fresh or fried today, while some use the green twigs for seasoning.

Why We Grow It: This native tree grows well in any soil type, and puts on a show stopping bloom every spring producing millions of edible citrusy flowers. The pods it produces are edible too, and are best enjoyed when the young pods are sauteed or fried. The heart-shaped leaves add another level of appeal to the tree even when it is not flowering.

History: Egremont Russet first emerged in Britain in the early 1870s and has remained popular ever since. Even today, it is the third most common apple grown commercially in England. 

Why We Grow It: Although the russet, a thick rough skin, coating this apple can be an acquired taste, there is a reason this apple has remained so popular. The fruit itself is an attractive gold dotted with yellow and it has an excellent sweet, nutty flavour. They are delicious fresh, when used for cooking, and in ciders. The trees are known for producing good, regular crops. 

Species: Inula helenium

History: Elecampane is native from Spain all the way to parts of China and has become naturalized in parts of North America. It has traditionally served a variety of purposes including being used to treat snake and spider bites by the Ancient Greeks, to test if honey has spoiled by the Ancient Romans, as a candied snack in Medieval Europe, and to make absinthe. Throughout its long history it has provided various medicinal uses as well. It also has quite the storied past, with the species name referring to the myth that the plant sprung up from the tears of Helen of Troy while the Celts associated it with fairies and elves.

Why We Grow It: Although not commonly used medicinally today, it still provides some novelty to the garden. The small, yellow flowers resemble those of asters to which it is related. The flowers attract pollinators and the roots, like comfrey, are good at mining nutrients from deeper in the soil.

Species: Vaccinium corymbosum

History: Elliott originated in 1947 when Dr. George Darrow of the USDA first bred it. Elliott, and the other blueberries Dr. Darrow bred, were first evaluated by Dr. Arthur Elliott and then by members of the USDA such as Arlen Draper who has bred numerous blueberry varieties. It was released in 1973, over 25 years after the it was originally grown. Elliott was selected for the good quality of its fruit and its exceptionally late ripening time, making it a great variety for extending the blueberry season. It was named Elliott to honour Dr. Elliott's contributions to blueberry breeding efforts. 

Why We Grow It: Elliott produces large berries with a mild sweet flavour late in the season. They are great for fresh eating, cooking, baking, and preserving! The bush is very productive and the firm fruit stores well. For those who want to enjoy fresh blueberries for as long as possible, Elliott is an excellent choice due to its very late ripening time!

History: The exact origin of Ellis Bitter is unknown but it is believed to have originated on the farm of a Mr. Ellis in the 1800s in England. It was planted commercially, particularly by growers under contract with the cider-making company H.P. Bulmer. Unlike some older cider varieties, Ellis Bitter still remains relatively common today. 

Why We Grow It: Ellis Bitter is an old English cider apple, with good disease resistance, vigour, and production. This variety produces a high quality medium-bittersweet juice with soft, astringent tannins that are suited for blends. It is notable for its early ripening time compared to many cider apples, and therefore adds nicely to an orchard to extend the season. This cultivar has produced very well in the Ontario climate according to trials at the Vineland Research Station.

History: Elstar apples were developed in the Netherlands in the 1950s and are a cross between Golden Delicious and Ingrid Marie. This excellent combination has created what is considered one of the best Golden Delicious offspring. Fittingly, it has since become quite popular in continental Europe. Despite being introduced to the US in 1972, it has not attained the same level of popularity in North America.

Why We Grow It: Elstar is a flavourful variety, fine for fresh eating or sauce with its crisp, juicy flesh; very little acidity. The skin is distinctive, sporting a orangey-red marbled appearance.

History: The creation and selection of Empire apples was a lot more intense compared to the chance origins of some of our older varieties. In 1945, scientists from the Cornell University New York State Agricultural Experiment Station collected thousands of seeds from the orchard of fruit nutritionist Lester C. Anderson. For years these seeds were grown and tested until Empire emerged as the best apple from amongst its siblings. It was released to the public in 1966 and has since become one of the top ten most popular apples in North America.

Why We Grow It: Empire is an excellent general-purpose apple for the Great Lakes area. The attractive green and red fruit is crisp and sweet and keeps well into the winter. The trees crop heavily and reliably, and the fruit is resistant to bruising, making life easier for the grower. They are also resistant to fireblight and cedar apple rust.

Species: Quercus robur or hybrid. Our seeds are collected from trees that may have been cross-pollinated by closely related species so the resulting seedlings may be hybrids. 

History: The English Oak is native to much of Europe where it is culturally significant in many countries. It appears on coats-of-arms, coins, and national emblems, and features prominently in folklore, stories, historical events, and even the legal process in Basque Country. There are numerous examples of exceptionally large and old English Oaks across Europe, such as The Majesty Oak in England with a circumference of 12.2m and the Stelmužė Oak in Lithuania which is believed to be over 1500 years old. The oaks are grown commercially for their durable wood and for ornamental purposes.

Why We Grow It: The English Oak's acorns are large (2.3-3cm long) and lower in tannins than red oaks, which make them more rewarding after going through the work of cracking and leaching the tannins to use them as a flour/food source. The wood is popular in barrel and cask making thanks to its elastic yet durable strength, and resistance to rot. Very long-lived trees, these majestic beauties can grow up to the ripe old age of 450 years old. It's also one of the few oak species that attracts and supports honey bees as a pollen source!

Species: Juglans regia or hybrid. Our seeds are collected from trees that may have been cross-pollinated by closely related species so the resulting seedlings may be hybrids. 

History: English Walnut (aka Persian/Carpathian Walnuts) is native from the Balkans to the Himalayas and China. It possibly originated in Iran and over time has been spread across the world by Alexander the Great, the Romans, trade along the Silk Road, and British colonizers. In Italy, there were legends of witches gathering under an old English Walnut tree in Benevento to perform sabbats which in turn has inspired works such as the ballet Il Noce de Benevento. Still commonly grown and cultivated today, China is the main producer of commercial walnuts.

Why We Grow It: Although they aren't native like our other walnut trees, English Walnuts are known for being easier to open than Black Walnuts and remain popular for a reason. Our seedlings come a mother tree near Listowel ON, an extra boon when Ontario grown English Walnuts are said to produce sweeter nuts than those from California! The sap can be boiled to make walnut syrup, which tastes very similar to maple syrup but with notes of caramel and butterscotch. The husks can be used to flavour beer, like hops.

Be mindful of the juglones in the in the roots/nut husks, they are toxic to many other species. They require a buffer of about 50'/30m from the edge of the trees canopy for juglone-sensitive plants. This article from The Garden Hoe has a helpful list of plants that tolerate juglones. However there are recent (2019) studies showing healthy soil high in organic matter and mycorrhizal fungi actually reduce the toxicity of juglones suggesting many plants can grow below juglans species in a healthy ecosystem - it will be interesting to see more study done in this area!

History: AKA Co-op 30, Enterprise is one of the many varieties that was developed through the collaborative PRI disease-resistant breeding program run by Purdue University, Rutgers University, and the University of Illinois. It was introduced in 1993 and has proven to be a very reliable variety. Although its name does not start with 'PRI' like many of the other varieties that came from this program, they still snuck the initials into Enterprise's name.

Why We Grow It: Enterprise produces crisp fruit that it is known for its strong, rich, tart flavour that can be described as spiced. It is a very disease-resistant variety that grows quickly, produces reliable crops, and stores for a long time.  They are good for fresh eating although the skin is on the thicker side, and they can be used for cooking, baking, and sauce.

History: Ernie's Favourite was grown as a seedling on a homestead in Mt. Pleasant, ON. It is believed that the seed came from Eastern Europe but it has thrived in our climate for decades and been a family favourite for the original growers. When we asked the farmer what he wanted to call the variety, he requested we name it 'Ernie's Favourite' after his father.

Why We Grow It: Ernie's Favourite produces a medium-sized quince with good flavour. It has dependable crops and does well in our climate - a good, tried-n-true variety! 

History: Ernie's Favourite was grown as a seedling on a homestead in Mt. Pleasant, ON. It is believed that the seed came from Eastern Europe but it has thrived in our climate for decades and been a family favourite for the original growers. When we asked the farmer what he wanted to call the variety, he requested we name it 'Ernie's Favourite' after his father.

Why We Grow It: Ernie's Favourite produces a medium-sized quince with good flavour. It has dependable crops and does well in our climate - a good, tried-n-true variety! 

History: Esopus Spitzenberg was discovered near Esopus, New York in the early 1700s. Its main claim to fame is its supposed designation as Thomas Jefferson's favourite apple, a claim supported by the numerous Esopus Spitzenberg trees he had planted at his plantation Monticello. This apple was very popular in the US in the 1800s, considered one of the best for fresh eating, valuable for cooking, and a nice addition to cider blends.

Why We Grow It: The flavour of this particular variety is complex with high acid content, considered by many to be a high quality fresh-eating apple. This is helped by the attractive medium sized fruit which sports bright red skin. This variety keeps, with good flavour, until March. Despite being susceptible to just about every common apple disease, we still believe this apple is worth the extra effort and haven't had much issue growing it here. 

Species: Prunus sp

History: These seedlings are grown from plum seeds collected from our orchard. We missed labelling this particular batch, but we know their parents are a blue prune plum similar to German and Late Italian plums. 

Why We Grow It: Seedling fruit trees are a great way to add some diversity and mystery to your garden or orchard! The seedling of a classic prune plume like German or Late Italian, these plums will be good for fresh eating but great for baking, drying, etc. 

Please Note: Since plums tend to stay true to type more than apples, these seedlings will likely bear a strong resemblance to their parent variety. However, any specific information listed on this page should be taken with a grain of salt as there may be some variation from the parent tree.

History: Fallawater originated in Pennsylvania sometime before 1842, possibly from seeds brought by European colonizers. At one time it was quite popular in the southern United States. This variety has over twenty different names, many of which resemble Fallawater such as Fallenwalder, while others are more fun and unique like Molly Whopper, Green Mountain Pippin, and Prim's Beauty of the West. 

Why We Grow It: No matter which name this variety goes by, you can always expect a large, attractive apple with a mildly sweet flavour. Fallawater is an excellent sauce and cooking apple and the fruit stores for a long time.  

The first in-depth guide for farmers and gardeners who have access to an established woodland and are looking for productive, innovative ways to create a natural forest ecosystems that produces a wide range of food, medicinals, and other non-timber products.

Farming the Woods covers in detail:

• How to cultivate, harvest, and market high-value non-timber forest crops
• Comprehensive information on historical perspectives of forest farming
• How to mimic the forest in a changing climate
• Cultivation of medicinal crops
• How to create a forest nursery
• Harvesting and utilizing wood products
• The role of animals in the forest farm
• How to design and manage your forest farm once it’s set up

The Fence Line Budget Bundle is available at a discounted price for fall pickup/shipping until Nov. 21st. It can also be pre-ordered for the spring at full price. Please select which option you prefer below!

Our Fence Line Budget Bundle is the perfect option for those looking to plant a large number of fruit trees on a budget! The bundle contains a random mix of twenty of our 50-80cm grade fruit trees. It will primarily consist of apple trees, but you may also receive pear trees and/or stone fruit trees depending on what we have available. 

This bundle is great for planting along fence lines, for feeding wildlife, and/or adding some diversity to your orchard! 

A few things to note about the Fence Line Budget Bundle:

• Most, if not all, trees in the bundle will be apple trees
• Trees will be a mix of dwarf, semi-dwarf, and/or full-size
• These trees will all be B-Grade (could have minor damage but may not)
• Most trees will be labelled but some may be missing labels
• Trees in this bundle are not covered under our 90 day guarantee
• We do not accept requests for what kinds of trees you will receive

History: Fignomenal originated as a spontaneous mutation on a Chicago Hardy fig. It likely originated in Italy although exact details are uncertain. 

Why We Grow It: Fignomenal is a compact and relatively low maintenance variety which makes it ideal for indoor/container growing. It produces an abundant crop of medium-sized figs with deep brown skin and pink flesh that are quite sweet. 

History: Fireside apples originated in 1943 from a breeding program at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. They are one of nearly 30 varieties that have been introduced by the university's breeding program since it began in 1888.

Why We Grow It: Fireside stands as an icon of toughness in the world of apples, thriving in cold northern areas. But don’t let this image fool you—Fireside has a warm heart! The flesh is amazingly sweet and very juicy.

History: Flemish Beauty originated in Belgium in the early 1800s. At one point Flemish Beauty was one of the most common commercial varieties in the US.

Why We Grow It: Flemish Beauty's cold hardiness and good flavour makes this a popular variety. The fruit is large and greenish-yellow without much neck. It is known for being sweet and very juicy, great for fresh eating.

History: Florina, aka Querina, was developed in France in the 1980s at the Station de Recherches d'Arboriculture Fruitiere. Despite being developed in France, its ancestry is made up of American varieties. Since its introduction it has become quite popular in continental Europe.

Why We Grow It: One of Steph and Mouse's favourites! Florina is a wonderful all-around apple for the backyard offering both rich flavour and easy care. The sweet, crisp fruits it produces are perfect right off the tree but also keep a few months. They are also great for organic production: resistant to scab, fireblight, mildew, and rosy apple aphid.

History: Freedom was developed in a breeding program at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York in 1958. The goal was to create an apple that was immune to apple scab, and this particular variety was chosen from 120 other apples that were planted out from seed selected through an intensive breeding program. It was released in 1983 and given the name Freedom to represent its freedom from apple scab. 

Why We Grow It: Low maintenance, disease-resistant, vigorous, good flavour, and a good keeper... all in one apple! Freedom is the perfect variety for growing organically, for pick-your-owns, backyards, and community orchards. Large red skinned apple, similar to McIntosh in flavour with sweet, subacidic, sprightly flavour and juicy white flesh. Crunchy, fine grained flesh.

History: A highly regarded cider apple of Normandy, France, where it has been grown for centuries. This cultivar is one of the traditional cultivars in the production of calvados (a brandy made from apples and sometimes pears) in the Pays d’Auge region.

Why we grow it: This cider apple has a unique spicy flavour that is high in tannins, low in acidity, and low in sugar. With it's rich history and beautiful brass coloured juice, this cultivar is a must in every well-rounded cider orchard. 

History: Fresco, also known by the brand name Wellant®, was developed through a fruit breeding collaboration between Inova Fruit and the Applied Plant Research at the Wageningen University and Research Center in the Netherlands. The goal was to create an apple variety that better aligned with changing consumer tastes. It was bred in the late 1900s and named Fresco during the years it underwent various tests before being released in 2004 under the brand name Wellant®. It is primarily grown and sold in Europe.   

Why We Grow It: Fresco produces a large, deep red fruit that is crunchy with a strong flavour high in both sweetness and tartness. It is excellent for fresh eating and can be used in baking and cooking as well. An excellent multi-purpose apple!

Co-authored by Silver Creek Nursery's own Steph! This book was written for all the wonderful folks who have asked us so many grafting questions over the years! Our online grafting course delves into even more detail, but this book is the ultimate guide to get you started!

This book offers a results-oriented approach to mastering grafting techniques. Whether you’re adding a new branch to an existing tree, crafting a whole new tree from a rootstock, or propagating a beloved heirloom tree, this book is your road map to success.

Susan Poizner, author of Fruit Tree Grafting for Everyone and creator of the online grafting and fruit tree care courses at OrchardPeople.com, is joined by Steph Muma of Silver Creek Nursery to help you transform your garden through fruit tree grafting. In this guide, you will learn:

• How to harvest scionwood in the winter.
• Techniques for cleft, bark, and whip grafting in the spring
• Methods for chip and T-bud grafting in the summer
• Essential aftercare practices for long-term graft success

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced grower, Fruit Tree Grafting for Everyone will empower you to create productive, diverse, and fruit-filled landscapes in your own backyard and beyond.

If you want this item(s) shipped to you and the shipping fees don't seem right, please contact us directly and we'll get a proper rate for you!