Yeah I live in Sydney around the same area as the Granny Smith apple originated. Not sure about what American zone our climate compares to I figured it was maybe a zone 9? Similar to some of the costal areas of California? San Francisco maybe? Regardless I went ahead and planted a range of apples modern, heritage, "low chill" English, American, French, Japanese, etc. I have about 34 different varieties at the moment. I have no idea what will work but I figure some will work and some wont. I can remove the ones that don't and graft on different types. It's fun. I based my original list of apples off the kuffle creek apple list and added some other that sounded interesting. I have the feeling that the guy from kuffle creek is on these forums but I might be wrong. I think that as long as you keep in mind that growing apples in our climate is a bit of an experiment and that they might not all work you might as well have a crack at it. That being said i would be confident that Anna and Dorset Golden will grow and fruit on the central coast. Good luck J Here is a link that might be useful: Kuffle creek apple list

Applenut, Thanks for the info. I'd run across the grove research station in tas on the net before. Misread the info thought it was only whole sale but that just means a min $50 order. I've bought quite a few things from daleys mostly sub tropicals. Don't know why but I got an idea in my head that I should get apples from specialist nurserys. Woodbridge fruit trees and Heritage fruit trees. The idea of a bunch of apple varieties on each of my espaliers is very appealing as we have very limited space.

This year I tried to restrain myself. The current selection, most of it still in the fridge, is: Exotica (sitting next to the computer, just about to bloom) Aphrodite (showing the tips of stalks, on the kitchen counter) Charisma (3) Lemon Lime (2) Pink Diamond (3) Melusine Papilio Picotee (2) In past years I have also loved: Apple Blossom Hercules Green Goddess Nymph Sweet Surrender (the most magnificent flower, but they do eventually bend down, even with stakes, and can look messy towards the end) and others too numerous to name. I also have about forty Ziva paperwhites just waiting for their pebble and water homes. Am always looking for pretty containers for my paperwhites! My amaryllis are all potted in terra cotta, slightly larger pots than are usually recommended. My addiction to this flower is sick, sick, sick, and I love it!

I posted a lengthy piece yesterday but my laptop or web connection failed me. In summary: I doubled back to get the crunchy jackfruit but the fruitstand was closed. However, a farmer owned relatively large supermarket up the stree not only had jackfruit but also abiu. Sweet. Later that day we drove to Mossman and I happened to find a fruit stand (see link below). "Dee", the +70 year old proprieter of the 300 acre family farm is amazing. we bought mamey sapotesm huge biriba, huge custard apples and more. But the list she has of her fruit trees is even more amazing. She grew up among Asians and thus got a taste for tropical fruit. She has scores of varieties, some I have never heard of (even after seeing seemingly everything of this site!). Much are straight from the Asian tropics. Champedak, marang, mango, sapodilla, jackfruit, rambi, rambutan, wax jambu - she has it all. And a whole bunch of items unfamiliar too me. Awesome. My only regret was not taking a picture of the chalkboard list she had of her trees. She did show me her scrapbook with pictures of harvests...delightful. She says her are 4 family members alone pick all the fruit. Can you imagine? The tropics in Australia, btw, are as tropical as tropical gets. Here is a link that might be useful: Scomazzons Roadside Stall