Jane Stewart and her book on medlars

Jane Steward’s book, Medlars: Growing and Cooking is the first to be devoted to the medlar. Jane will tell the story of this long-forgotten fruit, consider its origins and homeland, and how it made its way to Britain.

As well as information on where to buy a medlar tree, ways to grow and care for them and available cultivars, Jane will also tell us why she is so passionate about the medlar.

Bell House has a beautiful medlar tree in its grounds, which Jane will introduce to the evening’s guests on arrival. There will then be a seated Q&A with Cathy Slater, owner of Dulwich Books, who will be selling copies of MEDLARS, which Jane will be pleased to sign.

Tickets are £5 each. All proceeds will go to Bell House Dulwich, which is kindly hosting this event.

Bell House Garden

Jane will be in the garden from 5.45 pm. Ticket holders are most welcome to come from 5.00 pm to see the garden. Members of the Bell House garden team will be on hand to show you round.

Medlar tree in the Bell House garden

About the author:

Jane is the UK’s medlar specialist, holder of the Plant Heritage National Collection of medlar trees since 2020. She owns Eastgate Larder, specialist maker of medlar preserves.

Jane’s vision and strategy is to revive awareness of the medlar in our gardens and kitchens. She cares for 115 trees in her medlar orchard at her Eastgate in Norfolk home, where she hand-makes preserves, and compounds Norfolk Medlar Gin Liqueur.

Her early career was in the City, and she read German and French at university. In 2002 she trained as a leadership coach and ran her coaching company, Hayfield Group, until 2016.