Creating a city orchard ~ the story

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The need

Wenlock Community Orchard was established in 2012 in response to complaints from residents that the site was being used as a dog toilet and dumping space.

 

Getting the community involved

Following a positive consultation period which involved door knocking the surrounding blocks, the Tenant Management Organisation for Wenlock Barn Estate gave £500 to the Orchard Project (London branch) to get the orchard established.

 

Planting the site

Together with the Growing Kitchen's members and the estate residents, the Orchard Project planned and planted numerous fruit trees on the site.

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Improving the growing conditions

Whist planting the trees it was soon apparent that the soil was very poor and full of rubble. The Growing Kitchen took on the responsibility of working to improve the soil. This included mulching the trees and carefully selecting plants and flowers which will thrive in the growing conditions.

 

Developing the orchard over the years

Thanks to the gift of a charity, the Growing Kitchen was given over 500 spring bulbs, including daffodils, bluebells and snow drops, to plant on the orchard site. The following year the Woodland Trust gave the Growing Kitchen over 300 hedging plants to provide even more foraging for residents and wildlife, and support for biodiversity.

The wildflower meadow

As the orchard evolved it was noticed that wild flowers were starting to grow naturally so the Growing Kitchen decided to create a wildflower meadow. This has involved sowing annual seeds in the spring such as poppy and cornflower and planting approx 100 wildflower perennial plugs which the Tenant Management Organisation paid for through their gardening budget.

 

Currently we use an annual meadow method where we cut the meadow in late summer and again in the autumn to prepare the site for new growth in the spring.

 

Most recently we have planted a lavender bed and introduced ‘companion planting’ around the trees.

 

Signage to help people understand the site

As the idea of a wild orchard was new, signage was required to help the community understand it. The Growing Kitchen worked in collaboration with mosaic artist, Tessa Hunkin, to create a mosaic of the orchard's name. (Tessa had her studio on Wenlock Barn Estate at the time and was working with people with drug and alcohol addiction.)

 

Another sign explains that the orchard is a resident- led project. And yet another sign lets people know that no dogs are allowed in.

 

Each year the orchard is evolving and progressing

We have just acquired yet more herbs and flowers. We have maintained our close link with the London wing of the Orchard Project. They have continued adding trees to the site and have provided speakers to give talks. We are proud to say that the Orchard Project are using Wenlock Orchard as  their flagship London site to raise funds for more orchards in London.