Eating sun-warmed apricots and peaches straight from the tree or slicing homegrown limes into a G&T is surely an impossible dream?… isn't it? Well no, actually. Luxury fruits have been grown in Britain for centuries by wealthy landowners who were able to grow them on their estates, but now a Norfolk nurseryman is keen for everyone to enjoy homegrown exotics. "Many are much hardier than is generally supposed," says Stephen Read, of Reads Nursery near Loddon. "Last winter the cover blew off the polytunnel protecting the peaches and apricots, and we had one of the best crops ever.

Granted, the winter was very mild, and spring was early and very warm with no frosts to spoil the blossom, but even so we have grown them in the open ground for several years and they do very well." Stephen should know his stuff: he is the ninth generation of the family to run the nursery, which specialises in fruit and conservatory plants. Stephen, who runs the nursery with his wife, Debbie, came late to the business 25 years ago, having first trained as a cabinet maker. "It was a case of me taking it on, or of the business closing down, but it beats restoring antiques," he says.

The nursery was established in 1890 by Stephen's great-great-grandfather, and for years supplied melons and cucumbers to Covent Garden. It was his father, Terence, who began to take the business in a different direction, when he acquired a collection of citrus plants from the famous Rivers nursery 30 years ago. Rivers was the great name in Victorian fruit, and the nursery developed many new varieties in its 250 years of trading. In the mid-19th century it was Rivers' trees which formed the basis of the orange and grapefruit industry in California and Florida. "We've been collecting citrus ever since, from old gardens and just about anywhere we can find them," says Stephen.

"We've also brought in new varieties from the USA and Canada, and now we hold three national collections: citrus, figs and greenhouse grapes." Citrus fruits do need some protection over the winter, although they are happy outdoors during the summer. Gardeners often experience problems with plants not thriving, but Stephen advises: "Make sure the lower roots don't dry out, feed regularly and try to use water with low levels of lime in it." He recommends growing the Key Lime, which makes a compact bushy plant and fruits well. "I have a 20-year-old Key Lime tree which is still only 3ft tall," he says.

"It's an ideal plant for a conservatory, and you can use it in Key Lime Pie as well as in drinks." Pressed as to his favourite fruit, Stephen says: "It's got to be peaches. When they're ripe straight off the tree, the taste and the aroma are wonderful. Further north, they may need the protection of a warm wall, or even a cold greenhouse or polytunnel, but here they do well outdoors." He loves apricots, too, which are hardier, and suggests a modern variety like "Alfred". Both can be grown successfully in pots, which can be covered in spring to prevent peach leaf curl, which is so disfiguring to the leaves. Figs are also good in pots and tremendously decorative too. "Figs are tough, and they don't suffer from diseases," says Stephen.

"The variety Brunswick has very attractive leaves, and bigger fruit than Brown Turkey, which is the variety usually grown. We have customers in Northumberland who get good crops from it, but always give it a sunny position. White Marseilles is very hardy too, and the pale green fruits are very sweet and honeyed." Another unusual but easy fruit suggested by Stephen is the Cherry Guava, with sweet dark red fruit in profusion in winter. "It's great for guava jelly and ice cream, but is best in a cool greenhouse or conservatory." Or try growing a grapevine as a small standard in a pot, a grape "tree", which can be protected under cover in winter. A much tougher proposition for colder gardens is Stephen's most unusual find, the Satsuma Plum.

"We were asked if we could propagate material from a tree which had blown down at Sandringham," he recalls, "and it turned out to be the Satsuma Plum - which originally came from Japan. It makes a compact tree, with very decorative blossom, and the fruits have dark purple-red flesh which is very, very juicy." It sounds irresistible.

Growing tips

• Feed often Most exotic fruits will do well in a pot, which is easy to protect over winter. Make sure that plants are fed regularly and well watered.

• Seek the sun Citrus plants can be tricky. Over-winter in a conservatory, but stand outside in a sunny spot in summer. Using leafmould in the soil mix will keep the soil slightly acid. Don't allow to become waterlogged.

• Stand upright Where space is at a premium, train fruit trees into standards - a straight stem with a bushy "head" will take up less room.