Orchards, Trees & Orchard ProduceNottinghamshire information
Orchards, Trees & Orchard Produce
Nottinghamshire information
Orchards and Community Orchards to visit
Hawton Holt Conservation Area. An orchard planted at Hawton Holt conservation area on Apple Day 2003 by children from Barnby Road and Bowbridge Primary Schools and Newark Orchard School. 25 trees were planted, nearly all of local varieties, paid for the Newark & Sherwood Primary Care Trust. Volunteers continued planted in the coming months with cider and eating apples, and a further fifteen trees were donated by Groundwork and planted by clients of the Probation Service. More trees of pear plum and damson are to be planted. Hawton Holt also has a willow coppice to supply rods for living willow sculptures, and newly established hedgerows.
St Ann’s Community Orchard, St Ann’s Allotments, off Ransom Road, Nottingham (near the junction of Hunger Hill Road, opposite Hill View Community Centre. Look for a yellow sign). An orchard of mature fruit trees and newly planted trees on part of the oldest and largest allotment site in the world with 700 plots over 75 acres established in the 1830s and grade II* listed by English Heritage. The orchard covers 13 plots that were previously overgrown, created with the aim of showing the need and usefulness of the allotments, which were vulnerable to development. A grant from the landowners Nottingham City Council paid for two part-time workers to set up the project over six months. The plots are rented by STAA the St Ann’s Allotments Association. The current co-ordinators are guided by the STAA management Committee, made up of plot holders. The orchard is run as a social enterprise. The two co-ordinators now work a full week between them as partnerships have flourished with local schools and other agencies. Up to 8 school groups from seven local schools visit weekly with children from nursery age up to teenagers who carry out practical projects in the orchard and adjacent allotment plots. The main focus of the orchard now is in supporting learning and development for these children using arts, story, drama, role play as well as practical gardening. There are monthly work days and events throughout the year including Apple Day, a Heritage Open Day for the whole site, Hands Around St Ann’s with the surrounding community, a Winter Extravaganza with candle-lit procession and theatre, pruning courses, arts workshops and school events. There are nearly 20 mature apple pear and damson trees, and new trees were planted in 2001. The fruit is picked and juiced by school children on Community Activity Days. Some is picked and used by the local community, some saved for Apple Day. Although the crop from the older trees is hard to harvest due to their size. The orchard is managed organically, it has old hedgerow and a natural spring and a stream. There is once existing pond and a newly dug pond. Some areas of grass are left overgrown for wild life and dead wood is left for invertebrates. There are many common birds and mammals including all three woodpecker species. A balance has been struck between regular community use and value to wild life. Contact: Richard Arkwright and Rachel Brooke, Co-ordinators of St Ann’s Community Orchard, STAA, 12 Sycamore Business Centre, Hungerhill Road, St Ann’s Nottingham NG3 4NB, +44(0)115 911 0207, staaltd[at]btconnect.com
Merly’s Orchard, also on St Ann’s Allotments, is used for Buddhist gatherings, and work days.
An old orchard at Osmanthorpe was bequeathed to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and is to be restored as an education and community resource with a timber frame barn for visitors. Hedgerows are also being restored. There are a number of very old Bramley apple trees.
Clumber Park, owned by the National Trust grows 58 apple varieties plus pears, and other fruits and vegetables. See the National Trust web-site.
Nottingham Batter Pudding, made with peeled and cored apples (Bramleys are perfect), with butter and spices, baked in a light batter.
Cool Temperate Nursery, Trinity Farm, Awsworth Lane, Cossall NG16 2RZ offers a range of fruit trees. Nationwide mail order service available. Trinity Farm is a Demeter registered Bio-Dynamic Farm also offering organic produce and a fruit and veg box scheme. Directions: close to M1 Junction 26. Contact: +44(0)115 916 2673, phil.corbett[at]cooltemperate.co.uk or see www.cooltemperate.co.uk
Ken Muir Nursery in Essex has been given permission to take cuttings from the original Bramley apple tree in Nottingham. Each tree will be given a label of provenance. Ask for advice on a complimentary variety to help pollination. Call +44(0)870 747 9111 or see their web-site.
Original Bramleys are also available from Highfield Nurseries in Gloucester 01452 741444.
Fruit trees can be purchased from the East of England Apples and Orchards Project. Contact: treesales [at] applesandorchards. org. uk or call +44(0)1328 701095 for a catalogue of 170 varieties local to the East of England.
Or you can order trees mail order from a number of nurseries that stock a wide range including:
Keepers Nursery in Kent +44(0)1622 726465 or see their web-site.
Thornhayes in Devon +44(0)1884 266746 or see their web-site.
Please let us know if you know of a good fruit tree nursery in Nottinghamshire.
