Pippin, from the Anglo French word pepin, is a fruit tree grown from seed rather than from a graft.
Become a fellow apple breeder by joining the Pippin Society today.
Have you ever wondered how new apple varieties are created? Have you ever wanted to create your own new apple variety from seed in your own garden? Do you think you would enjoy tasting and judging the characteristics of novel apples at seasonal gatherings?
I am looking to establish a new society based from my fruit tree nursery, Keepers Nursery, in Kent, with the goal of creating new exciting apples and other top fruit varieties for the benefit of all gardeners and fruit lovers. Creating new fruits should be a public, rather than private, endeavour and I hope to share my knowledge to equip as many people as possible with the skills to create independently. We are indebted to the fruit breeders and fruit explorers of the past for the thousands of varieties available to us all. Many passionate gardeners throughout history selected and preserved their superior seedlings, as well as the famous breeders such as Hugh Ermen and Thomas Rivers who left us a legacy of fruit varieties for future generations to propagate and enjoy. I feel it is now our turn to do this wonderful public service, create a new generation of varieties and eventually pass on the baton far and wide to wherever people are passionate about fruit and flavour.
Several similar wild and seedling societies already exist. I think these have been great initiatives and we desperately need to have somewhere in the South East for people to showcase new seedlings and wild apples. I already have support from several influential pomologists including Dr Joan Morgan.
The Society will be free to join and will be relatively informal as a way of encouraging membership regardless of ability or experience. I will create a clear manifesto and society rules in the coming months, with the initial plan of holding a first meeting in Autumn 2026. If these prove popular, I may need to cap numbers for meetings, due to amenities on site.
Follow our progress on all the Keepers Nursery social media pages.
To find out more or to join the Pippin Society please send us an enquiry through the contact form on the Keepers Nursery website.
British-grown fruit trees