Whatever the size of your garden, there's always room for an apple tree, and there's no doubt Scottish nurseries are best placed to help you decide which trees are suited to your area.

I was delighted to visit one such nursery recently, Tweed Valley Fruit Trees, near Peebles. It's a relatively new venture, owner Nick Edwardson only opening the gates two years ago. After a spell as a broker, he has spent 12 years building an impressive list of fruit trees. Among his many activities, Edwardson trained at Brogdale, the home of the National Fruit Tree Collection and with the Farm Advisory Services Team, the organisation that provides advice and support for horticultural enterprises.

Edwardson's love for apples started as a young child running around his grandmother's orchard in Devon. Although his stock list now comprises 117 apple varieties, his grandmother's 18 trees seemed limitless at the time. He also sells 12 pear varieties, seven plum and one damson.

He agrees that some new apple varieties, such as Limelight, have good disease resistance, but he reckons this isn't a major issue for apple breeders, who are looking for uniform size, shape and storability. Appearance is king, since heavy spraying keeps disease at bay. "People would think twice about the fruit they eat if they saw how many sprays were applied to their [shop] apples," he tells me.

Among his 33 heritage varieties, the unbeatable Ellison's Orange Pippin and Tower of Glamis are ideal for gardeners wanting clean apples without any spraying. These old varieties also taste better than many commercial ones - I had never sampled Thomas Jeffrey before my visit, but am now determined to find space for it. This crisp, tangy apple is scab-free and works at a higher altitude than many varieties.

Thomas Jeffrey - developed around Edinburgh in 1920 - Stobo Castle, from near Peebles, and White Melrose should all do well when grown in areas near their places of origin. And there's the thrill of planting the likes of Bloody Ploughman, which has a gory backstory that I'll leave you to investigate. Edwardson has a soft spot for Hood's Supreme, raised in 1922 by his mother-in-law's great aunt, Bella Hood. Edwardson will recommend apples for altitude, windy sites, places with varying amounts of rainfall and frost pockets. "I want people to grow trees that will work for them," he says.

Choosing a variety is only part of the story. The size of a tree depends on the rootstock it has been grafted on. If you want a small tree, you'll need a rootstock which produces a less vigorous root system. But if your garden is exposed to the wind, you'll want the anchoring effect of larger roots.

However much he recommends a suitable tree, Edwardson explains that it will only prosper if it's looked after. Winter pruning maintains good shape and improves air circulation, while summer pruning ensures a decent crop next year. But general hygiene is essential - raking up leaves and burning if scab's a problem, and mulching, especially round young trees.

"The smaller the tree, the more attention it needs," he explains. A container-grown M27 tree needs at least a 45-litre pot. The compost should be changed every couple of years and regular liquid feed is essential. (I reckon an annual top dressing of wormcast is a bonus.) He also cautions against letting a potted tree have too large a crop - "it puts strain on the roots".

Visit tweedvalleyfruittrees.co.uk or call 01895 831147.