AIBU to create an orchard in my suburban garden?

[MissAppleInSuburbia]

I have a fairly large suburban garden which already have a bit of a “wild garden” feel to it as I try to create a bit of a wildlife haven amidst the manicured lawns next door to me. This summer I also planted some fruit trees thinking it will create nice shade in years to come. I have today added 2 fruit trees and officially have an orchard as I think 5 trees is enough to call it an orchard. However, my neighbours on one side are not happy as they think trees look messy and planting them in the middle of the garden is “insane” and will apparently bring down the value of mine and their property.

Has anyone else done this or do you agree with my neighbour this is an insane look? Have to say I have not planted anything near the fences so no risk of structural damage to property and no fruit will fall on neighbours land.

I think this is great. We have 1 apple tree in our suburban garden and we love it. The blossoms are absolutely gorgeous in the spring and we got a really good crop of delicious apples from it.
It's your garden and it sounds like you're doing some thing good for the environment too.

I have a ‘mini’ orchard using dwarf apple and cherry trees. Much better in a suburban garden.

Sounds amazing, I would do this if I had a bigger garden!

We dont have a large garden but we have 3 small apple trees and a pear tree and will be planting a plum tree next year. We've also planted fruit bushes around them and we are in the middle of a large village. Its great, we get loads of fruit and wildlife.

If you’re planting them at a time of year when the leaves are still on, they must be pretty small. I’m surprised they even noticed them among your wildlife haven.

My garden used to be part of an orchard. I feel so lucky to have fruit trees. We have a plum and an apple tree in the middle of the garden and have planted a pear tree.

Who cares if your neighbours think it’s ‘insane’. You won’t be giving them any leftover fruit then…

They are crazy, we have an Apple, pear, plum, cherry, damson and two figs. Along with grape vines and kiwi plants among our edible garden.

You’re also planting in the middle of your garden so no overgrowing onto their garden. Sounds like they just wanted to moan about your “messy” garden.

Phew 😮‍💨 Glad to hear I am being reasonable planting an orchard. Around where I live, people take their lawns very seriously and it seems planting anything in the middle of the lawn is upsetting the apple cart so to speak.

Go for it, we’re doing a mini orchard next year. Apple trees, for example, are so important to wildlife, they can sustain thousands of species. We need more of this and less plastic grass!

ETA, we have given away loads of our apples this year, you might find your neighbours come begging!

Oh god I wish my neighbours had trees! Looks so much better, you can 'borrow' the view and it makes your own garden look better.

I suppose if they're the manicured lawn type though they'll never agree! No accounting for taste (sniff)

Are the fruit trees grafted on dwarfing roots. If so they wont get very big so your neighbours sound a bit nosy.

Just tell them you've been reading about modern gardening trends and they can mind their own business

Sounds wonderful! Your neighbours are being unreasonable

Have apple, pear, fig, grape

It is your garden, so plant where you like

Beautiful blossom & fruit

I grew up in a normal sized detached 60's house with garden. Dad managed to squeeze 3 normal apple trees, 1 upright apple, 3 upright pear trees, 2 plum trees and a peach tree. We also had raspberry, gooseberry and black berries growing in the garden. Plus tomato plants every year.

So no you arent unreasonable!

OP, what a great idea! There is lots of advice about supporting the trees and mulching and watering them.
Some people just don't appreciate trees, fuelled by some rubbish surveyors imagining that a tree within a mile of a house will make it collapse (slight exaggeration).
Its a great idea in this time of climate emergency.

It’s a lovely idea 🍏🍎🍐

Your neighbours are idiots. It's great that you've planted the fruit trees, they won't impinge on the neighbours so what you do in your garden is irrelevant to them.

As for saying it would affect the property value, well they're being totally ridiculous. Just ignore them, if they say anything just say that you can plant whatever you like in your own garden, it won't affect them and you're keeping the trees.

I've got 2 eating apples, a medlar, a quince, a fig, a mulberry, a cooking apple and a plum plus kiwis and grapes. We eat well and love not having a lawn.

I need a quince there used to be a lovely one locally but the council chopped it down.

If you don’t already op get some golden raspberries.

Our neighbours (beautiful, huge) garden is exactly like this and has been so for at least a couple of hundred years. It is part of the old orchard from the hall at the end of the road. I can't wait to get planting and copy it.

My dad put in an orchard last year at a new home. It is astonishingly productive for year 1 - hard to believe the size of the apples he has had.

Just reading this made my mouth water. This is true riches!

Love all the love for fruit trees here. I didn’t expect it. I’d love to live next doors to you all with you fab gardens 🥰

What is the point of a suburban lawn anyway? I can understand acres of velvet greensward, but anything smaller than the pitch at Wembley, existing only to sit there and look neat, strikes me as suffocatingly prim.
Loosen things up with your glorious orchard, you green goddess!

Green Goddess of Suburbia. My new MN nickname perhaps 😛