Iplanted my first quince ( Cydonia oblonga ) a quarter of a century ago and I wouldn’t be without a tree nearby. There is only a handful of fruit trees I’d grow for their non-edible charms and quince is one.

As with medlars, quince grow in a nicely irregular, lightly twisting manner, full of character and individuality. Their blossom comes in spring, usually soon after the last frost; at first, they appear as tall, soft pink-white spirals, before opening out into loose dog rose-alikes. They have a light Chanel-crossed-with-daffodils fragrance that reaches the nose best when the wind and the sniffer are still and the sun is warm; you can plunge your face into the flowers and smell next to nothing, yet be enveloped in a cloud of scent as you walk away.

Fruit appear quickly and require pa

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