Cherry trees
Cherries are perhaps the most diverse member of the genus Prunus, which includes other popular stone fruits such as plums, peaches, and apricots. There are two main types, the sweet cherry Prunus avium (best for eating fresh) and the acid or sour cherry Prunus cerasus (best for culinary use). Cherry trees are generally easy to grow, but sweet cherries like sun, so choosy a sunny aspect when planting. The main horticultural challenge is the need for netting to ensure that the birds do not get the crop before you do.
Cherry trees do not need much attention as they grow, a simple mulch to keep the area free of weeds is sufficient. Once fruiting begins the mulch remains important, and should be extended to match the spread of the branches, because it acts as a sponge and therefore helps prevent fruit-splitting after heavy downpours. You should also apply compost and/or manure during the winter to supply the tree with the nutrients it needs for growth and fruiting.
Provided you can keep the birds off, cherry trees make a good choice for the garden because the fruit is best eaten straight from the tree - sweet cherries do not keep more than a day or so and the flavour fades very rapidly. Shop-bought cherries are often quite expensive, and in our opinion do not compare with the flavour of your own freshly-picked ones - mainly because cherries are at their best within a day of picking.
There is not a great variation in the flavour of cherries, so when choosing which varieties to grow, it is perhaps more important to think about the ripening season and other horticultural attributes. The main characteristic of a good sweet cherry is that it should be "more-ish"!