READER’S QUESTION

I’VE recently moved into a new house with a small southfacing garden, which is just a rectangle of grass with a patio. What tree can I plant for year-round interest and shade in the summer months?

Mrs M. Lee, Warwickshire. MALUS Evereste is a small deciduous crab apple with a profusion of snowy white blossom emerging from tight pink buds in spring and glossy, green-lobed leaves.

In autumn, it develops attractive yellowishorange fruit, and it is perfect for a small, sunny garden, preferring moist but welldrained soil.

Fruit trees can be planted from now up until the end of March.