Cultivation is comparatively easy for there are few demanding procedures such as spraying and harvesting – it’s often just a matter of collecting a fallen crop.

The hazelnut or filbert can be grown in one of two ways: as a small tree on a single trunk, or as a hedge of several plants allowing the basal suckers to become part of the overall shape. Although the nuts will fall into the centre growth of a hedge, a vacuum cleaner is an easy way to retrieve them.

Hazelnuts grow on a wide range of soils, though it must have good drainage but sufficient moisture to save the shallow root system from stress. Although the flowers, which emerge in winter, are totally hardy, late frost may sometimes damage emerging shoots in spring. Young trees bear when they are three to four years old and the nuts generally mature in February or March.

Left to themselves walnuts will grow into very large tree, but once established the leading top growth can be cut out at around two metres and the strong lateral growth trained as a espaliered hedge. You can do the same with almonds, chestnuts and and macadamias, which are then much easier to net from the birds and subsequently harvest. The black walnut has long been grown for its beautiful timber while the English or Persian walnut is particularly prized for it fruit, as well as being an attractive deciduous tree should you wish to grow them as such.

Like the walnut, the chestnut is a tree of considerable dimensions. Noted for its sweet edible fruit, the Spanish chestnut is invariably grafted onto reliable rootstocks with the assurance of nut quality and size and the fact that the trees bear at an early age. Almonds grow reasonably well in the tablelands, though in common with most nut trees the parrots will let you know when the trees need to be netted. Almonds are deep rooted and will require summer irrigation to obtain a full kernel crop. Once the first of the nuts fall, pick the remainder, remove the hulls and sun-dry the nuts so they become firm before storing.

Fruiting vines like grapes do double duty in gardens when grown on pergolas to provide summer shade. Young vines of selected varieties can be encouraged to grow quickly in well-prepared ground if they are given regular waterings, small applications of all purpose fertiliser and a mulch of well rotted manure or compost in spring.