UKC

Has anyone done this? I want to order a tree for my sister's birthday and have it delivered to her house (for obvious reasons).

Any thing to watch out for?

Any idea on good varieties for a slightly exposed location on the edge of Ilkley Moor?

Only that you need to consider what else there is nearby...  Most apples need at least one other pollinator in the same group, to ensure they flower at the same time.  One option is the complicated grafts that include two or three compatible varieties on the same stem.  Has she got neighbours, or nearby apples or crab apples? 

Not sure about the location, but perhaps avoid one of the really early flowering types as the longer winters up there might prevent many insects paying a passing visit.

We went to an apple event where you could try apples and then buy the appropriate tree. I chose a Holstein (sp) but moved house before it ever produced fruit sadly.

Read trustpilot before you use Chris Bowers aka Whispering trees. I didn't. Wish I had.

Orange pippin nurseries have all the information you could want on rootstocks for soil and climate locations, and on what’s self pollinating or what will pollinate with what.  With a nod to global warming you might look for a variety that doesn’t need a lot of cold winter days to set the buds for fruit.

Most stock will be gone by this time in the season; by this time of year I’d only want to plant potted trees out not bare root.

https://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/trees/apple-trees/early-season-eating-a...

I bought a discovery from this nursery a few years ago and it's still alive, I live over 300m up a mountain in Snowdonia. Buy small so it gets time to put some roots down before getting much height.

If she lives quite remotely she may need a self fertile tree or 2 trees from the same (or overlapping) groups. It's all explained on the website.

Its getting very late in the year for this bit.you might still be able to. Recommend Orange Pippin and Ashridge. Was less impressed by Pomona Fruits. Yet to hear anything positive about Chris Bowers. Take a look at Kesich Codlin and Bardsey for tough varieties.  James Grieve another option but I find them a bit "mealy"

try RV Rogers in Pickering 

https://www.rvroger.co.uk/index.php?ls=fp

or Daleside Nursery in Harrogate 

https://dalesidenurseries.co.uk/plants/fruit-veg/

Both grow their own so are hardened to the local climate

Top knowledge all - many thanks! I thought I might have left it a little late...

+1 for Daleside nurseries.

Ordered my father a damson tree and an apple tree from them for Christmas.

Called them to organise and find out what would work best in a Harrogate garden.

They were super helpful and the service was first class. 

Bare root needs to be planted when dormant. Container grown can be planted any time (but water a lot). Best to buy small

We got a couple of Minarette apple trees from Ken Muir (https://www.kenmuir.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=43_44) at the back end of 2019 and they've been quite happily growing in pots since then. We got a load of apples last autumn, more than I'd expected, and they seem pretty easy to take care of. They still have varieties available until late March so you might not quite be too late.

N.B. they also do proper trees, not just the Minarettes, we just haven't got the space for anything not in a pot.