mark wrote:

My intention is to get three new eating apple trees. One I would like to be
a russet.

Is a russet a russet or are there different types?

There are several types, but the one I've come across more often is the
Egremont russet. Keeps well, crisp.

For the other two, I would like some recomendations as to some nice ones.

Charles Ross. Very large apples, keep well, good as eaters or cookers.
One of the trees I thought I'd bought ('family' tree), but it turned out
not to be as labelled. (So I'm cutting out the Discovery and graftig a
Charles Ross on instead.)

I'm not bothered about the blossom period as we already have a few various
old apple trees.

Any advice on buying also appreciated.

I shan't be doing this very often so just want to get it right.

Right. I'd go for a 'family' tree if you can find one with suitable
varieties. Mine should have been Charles Ross, James Grieve and
Discovery, but the biggest section turned out not to be Chas Ross, but
an apple which resembles Discovery, but keeps a bit better.

James Grieve is a good candidate for you - a fairly large eater which
keeps well. Another one I'd point at as a contender is Devonshire
Quarenden (also billed as D. Quarrenden and just Quar(r)enden). This s a
smallish apple which starts as a green one with a claret flush. At this
stage, and with unripe pips, it's crisp, sweet and juicy.

Ripe, it's claret-coloured all over, softer, sweeter, and has a
delightful scent.

Even riper, it is sweeter and eminently gummable.

Bramleys are pretty easy to find, so I'd suggest you look at a codling
if you want a cooker. They make very good baked apples, and cooked, the
apple pulp is not lumpy.

--
Rusty