Joan Morgan's knowledge of apple varieties, their tastes and histories has brought national and international recognition for her work; she is fondly known as the 'Queen of Apples'. Joan is now studying pears with equal enthusiasm and in the meantime has also become familiar with most temperate fruits. She promotes fruit through her writings and also through broadcasts and lectures.

Joan is part of that long line of British fruit enthusiasts and pomologists who have studied and recorded fruit varieties and above all celebrated their flavours. She is inspired by the Victorian authority Dr Robert Hogg and Edward Bunyard, who wrote in the 1920s and 1930s, and although considering herself an apprentice by comparison she is of that tradition.

Her studies on apples culminated in 'The Book of Apples' (1993) and its updated and revised edition 'The New Book of Apples' (2002), written in collaboration with her great friend, Alison Richards, and illustrated by Elisabeth Dowle, one of our most foremost botanic artists. Joan is also author of 'A Paradise out of a Common Field; the Pleasures and Plenty of the Victorian Garden' (1990) written with Alison Richards. She contributes several chapters to 'The Downright Epicure; Essays on Edward Ashdown Bunyard (1878-1939)' edited by Edward Wilson, to be published in May 2007 by Prospect Books. For some years she has been putting together a book on pears which will be a companion to the one on apples, covering the history of the pear and detailing over 500 varieties. This will also be illustrated by Elisabeth Dowle.

During the autumn months she keeps her eye in and palate honed by identifying hundreds of apple and pears, which she does on a voluntary basis for Brogdale, in Kent, home of Britain's unique and world famous National Fruit Collections.

In recognition of her work Joan has been made an Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers and is one of the recipients of the Institute of Horticulture Award for Outstanding Service to Horticulture. She is Vice- Chairman of the RHS Fruit and Vegetable Committee and Chairman of the RHS Fruit Trials Sub-Committee.

Joan is in touch with fellow fruit specialists throughout Britain and abroad, most particularly in France and Belgium. In pursuit of her studies she has also established links with some of the most historic fruit areas of the world, including Syria and Iran. She has recently set up Fruit Forum, a blog for discussing anything and everything to do with fruit.