B9 Urban Garden

History: Porter's Perfection originated in Somerset in the UK some time in the 1800s. It became extremely popular in England although its popularity began to wane following the 1910s. It is still grown today but not as commonly as it once was. It shows promising results in the North American climate, unlike some other European cider cultivars.

Why We Grow It: This English cider apple produces a medium bittersharp cider. It has done well in different studies in Ontario with the Vineland Research Station with regards to juice composition, disease resistance and overall performance. The tree is a heavy cropper and grows vigorously.

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.

2025/2026 Staff Favourite

Cripps Pink Apples are Jodi's favourite this year! She has this to say about this variety: “I really like Cripps Pink for its crisp/crunchy bite texture along with its sweet-tart flavour. To top it off, they store well so I get to enjoy the crunch of them well into winter.”

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

History: Cripps Pink was developed by John Cripps at the Western Australia Department of Agriculture in 1973 as a cross between Lady Williams (an Australian variety) and Golden Delicious. The successful result was introduced to the market in 1985. In just ten years, Cripps Pink became an extremely popular variety and over a million trees were planted in Australia alone. This variety remains popular in many countries around the world. This apple is also known as Pink Lady which is its brand name when the fruit meets very strict criteria for quality.

Why We Grow It: Cripps Pink has a refreshing honeyed sweet-tart flavour that makes it great for fresh eating, baking, and cider. The lovely fruit, yellow with a pinkish-red blush, is slow to brown and also stores exceptionally well.

History: Gala apples are one of several varieties created by J.H. Kidd in New Zealand as part of his project to cross Cox's Orange Pippin with American varieties in the 1930s. He definitely succeeded with the Gala apple which has since become one of the most popular apple varieties worldwide and a mainstay in grocery stores. 

Why We Grow It: This apple earned its popularity with its amazing flavour, especially when eaten fresh off the tree. Although many sports with a deeper red colour have been introduced and marketed as Gala, they often come at a compromise to flavour so we offer you the original Gala with full sweet crunchiness.

2025/2026 Staff Favourite

Tolman Sweet Apples are Mouse's favourite this year! In their opinion Tolman Sweet apples are “a lovely green apple with a very unique sweetness! A must-try for anyone interested in exploring the full range of apple flavours!”

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

History: Little is known about the origin of this heritage apple, but Tolman Sweet has been highly valued since its discovery. It is uncertain whether it came from Massachusetts or New York in the 18th or 19th century but it was first recorded in 1822. This hardy tree was used as a source of rootstock at one time.

Why We Grow It: Tolman Sweet is a great all-purpose apple. The fruit are medium-sized with yellow skin, and have a distinctly sweet, dry flesh. They are nice for fresh eating but can also be used in baking, drying, and pickling. Their unusually low acid content helps to reduce acidity in both sweet and hard cider.

History: Golden Delicious was discovered by chance on a family farm in West Virginia and sold in 1914 to the Stark Brothers Nurseries. It has since become one of the most popular apples in North America. Since 1972, Clay County, where the apple was found, has hosted an annual Golden Delicious Festival and in 1995 it was declared the state fruit of West Virginia. Golden Delicious is also the parent of many varieties, including prominent ones such as Ambrosia and Gala.

Why We Grow It: It is easy to see why this apple is so popular with its attractive golden yellow skin and sweet, crisp cream-coloured flesh. Golden Delicious is a favourite for fresh eating, sauce, and apple butter. On top of that, it is resistant to scab, powdery mildew, and fire blight.

History: Mutsu apples (aka Crispin) were developed in the 1930s at the Aomori Apple Experiment Station in Japan as a cross between Golden Delicious and Indo apples, the same parentage as its sister apple Shizuka. This variety was named after Mutsu Province which was the previous name for the area where it was grown and released in 1949.

Why We Grow It: Mutsu apples have a lot going for them. They have a delicious sweet-tart flavour which is great for fresh eating and the golden yellow skin is quite attractive. The fruit itself is very large and keeps its shaped when cooked, making it an excellent choice for baking. The apples even store well, lasting all winter.

History: Fuji apples were developed at the Tohoku Research Station in Japan in the 1930s and released commercially in 1962. It was named after Fujisaki, the town where it was created. Despite being created in Japan, this apple is actually a mix of two American varieties. Its excellent flavour and attractive appearance has made it one of the most popular apples varieties in the world. It is commonly grown in the US, Japan, and China. 

Why We Grow It: Its crisp, very juicy, sweet flesh makes Fuji a very popular variety. It also stores well, lasting about three months. To the best of our knowledge, this is the original strain. 

History: This unique apple, orangey-yellow-red undertones with russet over top, originated in the UK in the 1700s and has remained popular for over two centuries. There is some debate whether it was raised by a Dr. Ashmead or a lawyer named William Ashmead. 

Why We Grow It: This Old World English apple has stuck with us thanks to it's unique flavour: nutty with notes of pear and spice. Fantastic fresh off the tree, and also in cider blends, Ashmead's Kernel mixes well with Cox's Orange Pippin.

History: Calville Blanc d'Hiver was discovered in France and first documented in 1598. It spread to other countries and was even grown by Thomas Jefferson in Monticello.

Why We Grow It: Known for its rather misshapen and lumpy appearance and the odd red splotches on its green skin, this apples exterior belies a strong, sweet-sharp flavour that makes it great for fresh eating, cooking, and cider. Some claim it rivals Bramley's Seedling as one of the best cooking apples with the added benefit that, unlike Bramley's, it holds its shape when baked or cooked. It is also boasts a high Vitamin C content.

History: Royal Gala is a natural sport (mutation) of the Gala apple that was patented by Stark Bro's Nurseries in 1977. It boasts a deeper red colouring than the original Gala which makes it more visually appealing. In New Zealand, where the Gala apple originated, it has been almost entirely replaced by the Royal Gala in commercial growing operations.

Why We Grow It: Like the Gala apple, Royal Gala is popular for a reason. It is juicy and crisp with a sweet flavour and the fruit stores quite well.

History: Pristine is another variety 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 1994.

Why We Grow It: The program was successful with this apple which boasts a decent disease resistance, and performs very well in our orchard. The fruit is an attractive yellow-gold colour with a pink blush where the sun hits it, and the flesh is dense and white. It has a refreshing, sharp flavour and is good for fresh eating if you enjoy a good tart apple! Unlike many early season apples, it has a higher sugar content and stores decently well.

History: Akane was developed in Japan in 1937 at the Morioka Experimental Station. It is one of several kinds of produce created to better feed citizens and troops during WW2. The name 'akane' literally translates from Japanese as 'deep red.'

Why We Grow It: This crisp, sweet apple is great for fresh eating and has bright red skin. It tends to begin bearing at a young age and is relatively diseases resistant.

History: Chestnut crabapples were bred at the University of Minnesota in 1949. They are one of about thirty varieties that have been produced by the university's breeding program since it started in 1888. 

Why We Grow It: The rosy-red Chestnut crabapple produces fruit that is unusually large for a crabapple with a nutty taste. Unlike other crabapples, it is sweet enough to eat fresh and can be used in cider while still being good for traditional crabapple recipes such as making jellies. 

History: Harrow Delight, as the name suggests, was introduced from the pear breeding program at the Harrow Research and Development Center in Ontario in 1981. It is a cross between Bartlett and Purdue 80-51, making it a sibling to Harrow Sweet. 

Why We Grow It: Harrow Delight pears are green with red blush when mature. They have sweet, juicy flesh and keep about a month. The tree boasts resistance to both fireblight and scab, making it a good option for anyone looking for a more disease resistant pear variety. 

History: Tsugaru is another apple that was created at the Aomori Apple Experiment Station in Japan and released in 1975. It was likely named after Tsugaru, a nearby city, or the Tsugaru samurai clan that controlled the area during the Edo period. This variety is quite popular in Japan and represents the sweetness that is coveted among Japanese apple fans. 

Why We Grow It: If you love sweet apples, you need to give Tsugaru a try. It has a very mild flavour with virtually no acid. It is performing very well in our test orchard, providing an abundance of nice clean fruit. It is one of Steph's favourites.

History: The history of the Seckel pear is somewhat contentious. It was said to have been named after a Mr. Seckel who discovered the variety growing as a sapling near Philadelphia in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Some say it is the only commercial American pear since it was thought to have been a wild seedling but others believe the tree sprouted from a seed left by German immigrants. Either way, this lovely little pear is still grown on a small scale across the States as a specialty fruit.

Why We Grow It: Although it is small in size, this heirloom is popular for eating fresh due to its high quality flavour. The skin is ruddy green with a pronounced red blush and the flesh is very sweet with a spicy flavour, which is why it's sometimes called 'Sugar Pear.' Aside from being excellent for fresh eating, this pear is great canned, pickled, and spiced. As an added bonus, the tree is resistant to fireblight.

Customer Suggestion: One of our wonderful customers shared a recipe for Pickled 'Sickle Pears' (aka Seckel) that had been passed down from his great grandmother. We haven't tested it out yet, but Seckel pears, brown sugar, cinnamon, vinegar and cloves, cooked and marinated, then pickled sounds very intriguing! Thanks for sharing David!

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: Bramley's Seedling was first planted in the UK in 1809 by Mary Ann Brailsford-Trump and was later named after the butcher who bought the property. Long considered the definitive British cooking apple, Bramley's Seedling is celebrated with its own festival, a plaque, and a commemorative window that was installed on its 200th anniversary. The original tree is still growing where it was planted over 210 years ago.

Why We Grow It: With its strong flavour and acidity, this apple is hard to beat when used for cooking, although the fruit doesn't hold its shape as well as other varieties. The fruit is large, greenish-yellow with orange flush and broad red stripes and store all winter. The trees are quite hardy and heavy croppers.

History: Grimes Golden was discovered on the Grimes farm in what is now West Virginia in 1832. Local legend claims that it grew from a seed planted by John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed. After its discovery, it was widely planted up until the 1930s when it became supplanted by more popular varieties such as its (likely) descendant, Golden Delicious. 

Why We Grow It: Although less popular now than Golden Delicious, many claim that Grimes Golden has a superior flavour: sweeter and with a hint of spice. The fruit is great for fresh eating and making cider, and it stores quite well. The tree is moderately resistant to fire blight and mildew.  

History: Dabinetts are an English cider apple named after William Dabinett who happened to find this variety growing in a hedge in the early 1900s. Since then the apple has become quite popular for use in making cider.

Why We Grow It: These smallish apples with speckled red skin produce a high-quality juice which can be used in single-variety ciders or blends. Dabinetts are classified as a bittersweet, are very resistant to scab, and are a reliable cropper.

History: Clapp's Favourite Pear originates from Massachusetts where Thaddeus Clapp discovered it as a chance seedling on his property in the 1850s. It was introduced commercially in the 1860s and continues to be grown in the UK and US today.

Why We Grow It: This old variety is hardy and regularly bears excellent medium-large fruit that are yellow with pink blush. They have good flavour but need to be enjoyed rather quickly since the fruit doesn't store long. The fruit needs to be picked about 10 days before completely ripe and allowed to ripen off the tree.

History: Summercrisp pears were developed by the University of Minnesota in an effort to create a cold hardy pear. They were successful in creating a hardy and delicious pear, releasing the variety in 1985. Its name is derived from the fact it ripens in summer (very early for a pear!) and that it is great right off the tree when still crisp.  

Why We Grow It: Summercrisp performs amazingly in our test orchard, producing lots of freckled beauties that ripen uniformly and hang well on the tree.  This early cold-hardy pear has a really sweet, pleasant flavour and is not gritty or dry. The fruit are average-sized with yellow skin and red blush. For optimal eating they should be picked before fully ripe and stored in the fridge until eating. This variety deserves to be more widely planted.

History: Yarlington Mill was discovered growing in the wild by a Mr. Bartlett. He discovered it in 1898 near a mill in the English village of Yarlington, hence the name 'Yarlington Mill.' It was further propagated and made popular by the grower Harry Masters (who also grew Harry Masters Jersey). This variety is still commonly planted in cider orchards in England. 

Why We Grow It: This is an excellent cider apple for our climate. It produces a medium bittersweet juice with good flavour. The tree is hardy and vigorous but tends to bear biennially so it requires attentive thinning.

History: Winter Banana originated on David Flory's farm in Indiana around 1876. It was named Winter Banana due to the apparently banana-like aroma it gives off when ripe. It is also named Flory Banana or Flory Apple after David Flory. Winter Banana was grown on the west coast and gained some popularity in England and Germany. The thin skin of this variety is easily bruised which prevented it from being a commercial variety but it is still commonly found in gardens and farmer's markets. 

Why We Grow It: This all-purpose apple is extremely attractive with pale yellow skin and a pinkish-red blush. The banana-like aroma is accompanied by sweet flesh with an acid tang. The flavour improves in storage and the apples can be kept all winter.

Looking to graft your own pear trees? We're happy to offer rootstock!

While we have young stool beds growing, in the meantime we import rootstock from Oregon. Aside from the headache (paperwork) of importing and distance, we are very happy with our suppliers quality, and are happy to offer small scale and backyard operations with rootstock. Every August, we prepare a rootstock order for the following spring, and our order comes up on the pool truck with all the other Ontario orders. Because of this, we aren't able to guarantee ship dates with rootstock orders, as we are at the mercy of the nursery and pool truck; the shipment typically comes in March-April.

If you require more than 1000 rootstocks, we recommend importing yourself.

We offer the following rootstock varieties:

Provence Quince - Dwarf (see the quince rootstock listing HERE to purchase)

• History: Provence Quince is a quince rootstock that was selected by the Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique's Angers station in France. It was released in the 1960s and became especially popular in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s.
• Why We Use It: Provence Quince is easy to propagate and has decent vigour. Although it is incompatible with certain pear varieties, the issue can be overcome with the use of an interstem.
• Canadian Hardiness Zone: 5
• Growth Habits: Dwarfing affect on pears, reaches about 10-15ft tall, precocious, produces good crops
• Disease Resistance: Resistant to crown gall, pear decline, and nematodes but somewhat susceptible to fireblight
• Graft Compatibility: Compatible with most European pears including Anjou, Flemish Beauty, and Summercrisp. Incompatible with Bartlett, Bosc, Seckel and a few others, we use an Old Home interstem to graft these varieties to Provence Quince. Also compatible with quince and loquats.

OHxF 87 - Semi-Dwarf

• History: Old Home x Farmingdale 87 is part of the OHxF series that was developed by F.E. Reimer at Oregon State University in an effort to create fireblight resistant rootstock. Two fireblight resistant varieties, Old Home and Farmingdale, were bred to pass the resistance on to their seedlings, hence the name. OHxF 87 in particular was selected for its good productivity. 
• Why We Use It: A popular choice among the OHxF series, this semi-dwarf rootstock boasts high productivity and a good root system. 
• Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
• Growth Habits: Semi-dwarf, reaches 12-18ft, precocious and very productive, cold hardy, produces a good root system
• Disease Resistance: Resistant to fireblight and soil diseases
• Graft Compatibility: Compatible with European pears and Asian pears, though some resources say Asian pears tend not to live as long on this rootstock.

OHxF 97 - Full Size

• History: Old Home x Farmingdale 97 is part of the OHxF series that was developed by F.E. Reimer at Oregon State University in an effort to create fireblight resistant rootstock. Two fireblight resistant varieties, Old Home and Farmingdale, were bred to pass the resistance on to their seedlings, hence the name. 
• Why We Use It: OHxF 97 is our go-to pear rootstock with its fireblight resistance, strong root system, and good vigour and productivity. Its compatibility with European and Asian pears makes it extra versatile, a feature we value with our large array of pear varieties.
• Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
• Growth Habits: Full-size, reaches 16-20ft, cold hardy, strong root system, produces good crops, vigorous, moderately precocious
• Disease Resistance: Resistant to pear decline and fireblight
• Graft Compatibility: Compatible with all European and Asian pears

Pyrus betulifolia - Full Size

• History: Pyrus betulifolia (aka birchleaf pear) is native to parts of China and Tibet. This thorny cousin of the pear trees we grow is commonly used as rootstock for Asian pears.
• Why We Use It: Pyrus betulifolia is a vigorous and adaptable pear rootstock, compatible with both European and Asian pears. It is also a very thorny variety, making it useful for deterring critter damage on the rootstock. 
• Canadian Hardiness Zone: 4
• Growth Habits: Full-size, produces Asian pears 15-20ft tall and European pears over 30ft, vigorous, highly adaptable to different soils, very thorny
• Disease Resistance: Resistant to fireblight and pear decline
• Graft Compatibility: Compatible with European pears and Asian pears

If any varieties you are interested in have sold out or you want rootstock for 2027, contact us to be added to our Spring 2027 request list!

History: John McIntosh planted several apple seedlings upon settling in Dundela, Ontario. From these, he discovered the famous McIntosh apple as a seedling in his orchard. The family began selling the fruit and grafted McIntosh trees in 1835 and in 1870 it entered commercial production. By the 1900s it was one of the most popular apples in northeastern North America, although its popularity waned over time as varieties such as Gala were introduced. Nonetheless, McIntosh apples still remain some of the most popular in North America. The original tree died in 1906 after being damaged by a house fire and a commemorative plaque marks where it stood. The apple has since been named Canada's national fruit. The Macintosh line of Apple computers was also named after this variety.

Why We Grow It: For fans of Canadian heritage apples in particular, this one is hard to beat. To the best of our knowledge, this is the original strain of McIntosh. Aside from its storied past, McIntosh apples boast soft, slightly tart flesh with high Vitamin C content. It is excellent for fresh eating and making applesauce.

History: Strawberry Pippin is another variety whose history we know little about. All we know is that it likely originated in England where it was first recorded in 1874. The 'pippin' in its name indicates that it was grown from seed by chance. 

Why We Grow It: While we may not know much about its past, we do know why we are happy to grow it! Strawberry Pippin has an attractive red striped fruit which is quite firm and sweet. Its excellent flavour is best enjoyed picked fresh right off the tree. In our experience, Strawberry Pippin does well with minimal care, and is an excellent choice for the backyard.

History: Red Gravenstein is a sport/mutation of the original Gravenstein/Yellow Gravenstein that is a striking bright red. Some say it is also sweeter than the original.

Why We Grow It: With attractive red skin, this is a lovely sport of the original Gravenstein. It is a good quality and sweet early apple that is excellent for home orchards.

History: The exact origins of Hyslop are unclear but it was discovered sometime in the early 1800s around Boston by the Hyslop family who helped develop the area. This apple was popular for over a century but in recent years has fallen into obscurity. 

Why We Grow It: Although definitely not recommended for fresh eating, Hyslop crabapples have a sub-acid, astringent flavour and are great in cider blends. They are also known as being one of the best apples for jellies. The tree is quite attractive with blue tinged blossoms in the spring and brilliant red/purple fruit in the fall.