Patio Apple tree for NE Scotland

You are on the drier side of Scotland, so you have more options than the milder but wetter west. Most early or mid-season dessert apples should be suitable. Avoid the late-season ones if you think your growing season might be too short. Most cooking apples should also be suitable.

Providing shelter from the north is a good idea, and ideally the tree should be in full sun exposed to the south.

Keep the pot insulated in winter, so that cold air can't get to the tree roots (normally protected underground).

Are there any other apple trees or crab-apples in nearby gardens? If not then you will need to choose a self-fertile variety, or plant 2 compatible varieties. (Planting 2 trees is a good idea if you have the space, as they will provide a nice contrast and help spread the risk, if one has a bad year hopefully the other will still be productive and vice versa.

Some varieties to consider: Bountiful, Bramley (but check pollinators), Charles Ross, Discovery, Katy, Limelight, Greensleeves, maybe Red Devil.

The garden is small and over winter gets no direct sunlight at all. Is it just the pot that would need insulating or should we protect the whole tree?

There is only one other apple tree (dessert) on the whole estate so far, and that is a dwarf about 1/4 mile away and we were thinking self fertile might be the way to go.

Thanks for the advice, we will have a look at the ones you mentioned

Thanks orangepippin!

James Grieve might be worth considering as an earlyish mid-season candidate, if you like a really juicy variety; it eats and cooks well.

Funnily enough, the girl at the nursery offered bare root stock of this variety but she wasn't entirely sure if it was dwarf or the next size up. They were 15 quid, so I was thinking of a punt on it.

If I were growing a patio apple in Scotland, my first choice of rootstock would be M26 and I would grow it in a half-barrel-sized container filled with three-quarters garden soil and one-quarter compost.

I would not bother re-potting every few years (that's what's recommended for M27) but would give half-inch to an inch of compost mulch each winter to ensure a steady slow-release of nutrients through the growing season. I would not give any other feed because you'll risk causing bitter pit - most varieties of apples will suffer from bitter pit if not grown correctly, even though "the books" only state a few varieties are prone to it.
Watering with half a can of water once per week during summer will be essential.

I would probably choose a variety such as Egremont Russet.
That's not to say that I love the variety above all others, but I think it would do well being grown on M26 rootstock in the way I describe above. The old types, such as Egremont Russet, suffer badly from bitter pit if you give them too much "love", but they crop very well if you let them "rough it" a bit without too much feeding. However, the M27 rootstock isn't strong enough to do well without feeding, but the M26 doesn't mind moderate neglect or the occasional forgotten watering.
Some varieties are quite slow-growing, while others are quite fast-growing. Take care that you don't buy a slow-growing variety on M27 or a fast-growing variety on M26 because their mature size will not be what you're hoping for; far too small or far too big.

The less-vigorous M27 rootstock isn't as cold-hardy as M26 either (M26 is about the most cold-hardy of the rootstocks available in the UK), which will be more pronounced with containerised plants because the air temperature around the pot and hence the soil in the pot changes much more quickly than the more stable temperatures in the ground.

Brilliant FB. Thanks for the advice

As long as your average winter minimum temperatures are not regularly below about -10C the tree should be fine. The main issue with growing trees in containers is that cold air can get to the *roots* from the sides and underneath, whereas normally the ground below the surface will be somewhat insulated from the air temperature. That's why you will need to insulate the pots. That will be good practice regardless of the rootstock you choose.

I'm up Fraserburgh way and have just started an orchard. I managed to get a copy of Butterworth's "Apples in Scotland", considered by some to be the seminal book on varieties for Scotland. He lists the following as his Top Ten:

Eaters:

Charles Ross
Discovery
Ellison's Orange
James Grieve
Worcester Pearmain

Cookers:

Bramley
Early Victoria
Grenadier
Lord Derby
Howgate Wonder

He also lists the following as varieties with merit:

Bloody Ploughman
George Cave
Lady Sudeley
Laxton's Fortune
Ribston Pippin
Sunset
Early Julyan
Arthur Turner
Beauty of Moray
Galloway Pippin
Golden Spire
Keswick Codlin
Lanes Prince Albert
White Melrose

If you want an eater then he strongly suggests Discovery as being one of the very best eating apples for Scottish conditions. James Grieve does particularly well in the East. Golden Spire is reliable and has a weeping habit and highly floriferous. James Grieve, Charles Ross and Early Julyan are dual purpose. I would also have a look at Oslin. Check them out here Keepers Nursery UK | Fruit trees for sale | Buy Online | Mail order

Good luck!

Thanks very much hermit!