37. Growing Citrus Fruit

We have always managed to grow citrus trees in a London town garden. The temperatures there are usually 2-3 degrees warmer than surrounding areas, and frost is rare. Lemons grow happily in the ground and fruit well, the other trees grow in large pots, giving us an all-year-round harvest of lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit.

Growing citrus trees on the Wirral is more of a challenge. I don’t have a greenhouse, so the plants need to be able to survive winter outside. The Wirral has its own mini micro-climate: situated between the Mersey and Dee estuaries and surrounded by water on three sides, protected by the mountains of North Wales which results in a drier and milder climate than surrounding areas, and is relatively frost-free. The walls of the garden protect the plants from the prevailing south west winds coming off the Dee Estuary.

My citrus trees here are in pots. In summer they are kept in the walled garden fruit dome where they get sun for most of the day, in the winter they are moved to a paved area alongside the house, immediately below the boiler flue. Citrus trees are only hardy to about 5 degrees, so a combination of the heated house walls and the overhead flue protect the trees from frost and cold temperatures. They are fed regularly from spring onwards, and have blossom and fruit on them for most of the year.

My collection includes all the essential ingredients for a great gin and tonic: lemons, green limes, red limes, oranges and grapefruit. It is wonderful being able to pop outside to pick them. A tiny bit of zest adds the perfect finish to my evening G&Ts.