Sheena Patterson of Oxford Garden Design looks for enlightenment on her apple types

I’ve been in state of mild anticipation as I struggle to quell my excitement at the approach of the Hailey Apple Day on Sunday.

We’ve inherited some very fine old apple trees in our new garden and embarrassingly enough I haven’t a clue what type they are. So off I will go proffering a couple of carrier bags of my bumper crop, in the hope that a local apple expert will enlighten me.

As we are new to the village I had naively assumed that Apple Day was an old tradition specific to Hailey.

But no. It’s a recent introduction, promoted by Common Ground, a charity set up in the 1980s to promote local events.

The first ever Apple Day was in Covent Garden in 1990, since when the idea has spread quite rapidly so that across Oxfordshire there are several being held this autumn.

It usually takes place on the Saturday and Sunday nearest October 30, although many now simply use the term Apple Day for events which can take place anywhere in the second half of October.

Apple Day events can be large or small, from apple games in a garden to large village fairs with cookery demonstrations, games, apple identification, juice and cider, gardening advice, and of course many hundreds of apple varieties... some of which will be mine this year.

What a great idea for bringing communities together and celebrating the generic diversity of apples that we tend to take for granted.

There’s no doubt in my mind, English apples are the best in the world and I often encourage my clients to plant apple trees, even in the smallest of gardens.

They have two seasons of interest, also giving blossom in spring, and growing your own fruit is hugely rewarding as well as tasty.

The trees can be trained as an espalier or fan shape against a fence or wall, if space is at a premium.

Or, for a really small space, try growing a step-over apple.

As the name suggests, the step-over is a low-growing, horizontally-trained tree that can literally be stepped over.

They can be planted along the edge of a path or a bed, and make an excellent divider on an allotment or fruit garden.

The best time to plant trees is in mid-November, once they are dormant.

Bare root trees offer the best value for money, and you might find them in the garden centres just before they stock up with Christmas decorations.

James Grieve is a particularly reliable early eating apple, and the Blenheim Orange Pippin, first grown here in Woodstock, is good for both eating and cooking.

If you follow this advice, next year you may be enjoying the fruits of your very own harvest and taking part in your local Apple Day! n Hailey Apple day is on Sunday at St John’s Church.

There will be tea, cakes, tombola, apple juice, children’s games, apple identification, a plant sale and seed swap.

Free admission and all welcome.

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