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This productive container will give you blossoms to enjoy in spring and fruit later in the summer.

Equipment needed:

• Drill

• Wood drill bits

• Screwdriver

• Hand trowel

Materials needed:

• Wooden tub approximately 60cm (24in) in diameter and 30cm (12in) in depth (a half oak barrel is ideal)

• 2 x lengths of rope approximately 30cm (12in) long

• 1 x tree stake approximately 80cm (32in) long and 4cm (1 1/2in) in diameter

• 1 x 75mm (3in) woodscrew

• 1 x tree tie

What to do:

• To start, drill some drainage holes in the base of your tub.

• Next, drill two holes each side of the tub. Make sure the holes are slightly bigger than the diameter of the rope.

• Thread each end of the rope through the drilled holes and tie a knot on both ends to create the handles. Repeat this process on the other side.

• Turn the tub upside down and insert a woodscrew slightly off centre. Next turn the tub back upright and screw the tree stake into the thread of the screw. You may need to tighten up the screw with a screwdriver.

• Now put some old crock and gravel in the base of the tub to provide good drainage.

• Fill the tub halfway with compost, and insert your fruit tree.

• Toby used a variety of apple tree called ‘Discovery’. This is on a M27 dwarf rooting stock, which will ensure the tree will remain small with a canopy of around 120cm (48in). You could also use other fruit trees or shrubs such as standard gooseberries and blueberries.

• Now add more compost to just above the top level of the root ball and firm well in.

• Secure the tree to the stake using the tree tie.

• Use your hand trowel to plant some strawberry plants around the base of the tree, keeping them about 23cm (9in) apart. Toby used a variety called ‘Honeoye’.

• Finally give the whole thing a good watering in.