Aylsham community orchard forms part of a revival of the orchards that were commonly found across East Anglia and beyond, on nearly every farm, in villages and towns, fruit trees would have been grown and local varieties, suited to their area, were cultivated and much prized. These heritage varieties are now being tracked down and preserved by the East of England Apples and Orchards Project whose work is still ongoing to find the ‘lost’ apples of Norfolk.(www.applesandorchards.org.uk)
It is believed from fossil evidence that wild fruit forests would have once been spread across Britain by herds of large mammals who ate the fruit as they roamed and then very much later, once the cultivation of fruit trees began, wildlife soon found a ready home amongst our orchards. Apple trees age rapidly and so quickly become veteran trees full of crevices and holes that provide shelter and homes for beetles, birds and bats. The beautiful spring blossom is valuable food for pollinators and apple trees are a favoured place for mistletoe to set seed, their berries, in turn, feeding the mistle thrush. Woodpeckers, nature’s carpenters, like to hollow out nest holes which are later used by other birds such as robins and blue tits. In the autumn windfall fruits provide food for blackbirds and other birds migrating in from colder climates.
The grass beneath the trees, left unsprayed, provides a healthy environment for the soil and for earthworms and the cranefly larvae to thrive. The cranefly or ‘daddy longlegs’ amazingly, synchronise their hatching so that some will escape from bats and birds to create another generation. Meanwhile, undisturbed decaying wood found amongst orchards is the home for many beetles who lay their eggs in rotting wood, a peaceful haven for their larvae to grow and thrive.
Here in the Aylsham orchard you will find fruit trees associated with Norfolk such as the following:
‘Horsford Prolific’ an attractive dessert apple found in the garden of the Rev. Mountford in Horsford, a medium to large yellow skinned apple with an orange flush, ready to pick mid October.
‘New Costessey seedling’ which came from a pip planted in 1926 by George Fayers a medium sized dessert apple, with a greenish yellow skin with a deep red flush. Ready to pick early October.
‘Admiral’ a medium sized dessert apple propagated at Upton from pips brought back from Japan by a Mr Watson, it was originally called ‘Togo of Upton’ but was renamed ‘Admiral’ in 1940, it was once grown commercially in the Broads where it was sold as ‘Gloria’. Its mostly green in colour, sometimes with an orange flush. Pick early October.
‘Golden Noble’ a cooking apple discovered growing as a chance seedling in an orchard near Downham Market by the head gardener at Stow Bardolph Hall. A long keeping apple which was very popular in Victorian times and which has a high level of vitamin C. Pick early October.
‘Hacons Incomparable’ A dessert pear whose origin is confused, either it was a chance seedling found growing in a baker’s yard in 1792 by a Mrs Rayner or it was propagated from ‘Rayner’s Norfolk seeding by Mr J Hacon. Pick early October.
‘Colney’ a medium sized dark red skinned cherry dating from 1974. Pick late July to early August.
Take a wander in the orchard to discover apples, pear, cherries, plums and also the ‘medlar’ fruit tree, the fruit of medlar is eaten after the first frost when the fruit becomes ‘bletted’ or softened, this increases its sugar content, the fruit looks over ripe and wrinkled when ready to eat and is often used for medlar jelly.
If you walk by Aylsham community orchard in late summer or autumn please feel free to pick some fruit, for apples, pears and plums gently lift and twist the stalk and if ripe the fruit should come away in your hand, pears may need ripening on a window sill for a few days. The wild birds adore cherries so you will be lucky if you get there first!
