When my other half suggested getting some dwarf fruit trees for our backyard, I have to admit I was more than a little dubious. While I can adequately keep native or drought tolerant plants alive and well, I’ve had little success with growing produce. I thought I would do okay with herbs but despite planting a plethora of them in the rock wall out the front of our house, only the rosemary, oregano and chives have thrived over the years. The rest struggled along for a time and then just turned up their roots and died.
We had similar lack of success with vegetables – except of course the tomatoes that quickly took over the entire veggie plot and then died back themselves. The veggie garden has long been abandoned in favour of a garden bed for more natives. But I think that the fruit trees might just do okay with our style of gardening. We must be doing something right – the bees have shown up and the plant is flowering. So if the powers that be will it, we should have a lovely bunch of lemons, mandarines and stone fruit to show for our troubles next year. Fingers crossed! 
Lemons and mandarins! Cool! Our friends in Florida have a grapefruit tree in their backyard, its really nice to have fresh citrus!