Orange Groves....

Manchester isn't noted for its orange groves. We're far too north, far too wet and our winters are far too cold and frosty for citrus fruit trees to flourish. Being from Manchester I get incredibly excited when I visit Spain, Italy or Southern California and see groves of orange trees dripping with fruit. Or orange tree lined streets and squares.

That's not to say we can't have them this far north. Ian Simpson, the architect of the Hilton Tower famously has a grove of orange and olive trees surrounding his swimming pool in his penthouse apartment that takes up the top floor of the tower. An orange grove on top of a skyscraper in downtown Manchester! It was fun to watch the giant crane hoisting them into position before they sealed the roof of the tower.

Mancunians of lesser means can still grow oranges though. They will be quite happy outside in a pot in a Manchester summer but will need to be pulled into a frost free greenhouse or conservatory for the winter months. Or you could do like they did at Dunham Massey Hall on the edge of the city and have a dedicated heated orangery built in the garden.

This one I found at the little pocket handkerchief garden centre near to ODDEST in Chorlton. Rumour has it that the owners have been offered £3,000,000 for their tiny plot of land. Developed into apartments in this favoured suburb, the developers will still make a handsome profit.