The Orchards
Scroll down for information about varieties of trees in the orchard.
There are now three community orchards in the park, the latest planted on 21st January 2025 by a party of enthusiastic volunteers. All the details are below.....
January 2025 - a new "Cherry Orchard".
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98 more trees planted at the western end of the orchard area - mostly cherry trees. Volunteers planted the orchard in less than a day and the new orchard site is splendid. Photos and key to planting below. |
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February 2023 - a new orchard
Volunteers met to plant 100 fruit trees, apples, pears, plum and cherry - an extension to our original orchard. In less than four hours the scrubby meadow became an orchard. Amazing work everyone. Started in the freezing fog and finished in brilliant sunshine. Thank you everyone.
Pruning
Richard Bond, (formally Woodlands and Open Spaces Supervisor for RDC) taught volunteers the principles of pruning on Friday afternoon, 15th August 2014. Over 40 young trees were pruned in the Traditional Orchard and the ground round them cleared. Since then the volunteers have been trained and now look after all 144 trees on a regular basis. Pruning, weeding, feeding, mulching.
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Go to our Volunteers page to see all the work this group have carried out to ensure that this Community Orchard becomes a valuable asset to the park and its visitors. In 2022, despite the very hot and dry summer, people were able to pick and enjoy the fruit.
Our first Community Orchard - information from Richard Bond
Listed below are the varieties chosen and a planting plan for the community orchard.
The young trees were purchased from the East of England Apples & Orchards Project nursery, an organisation which is dedicated to the restoration of our counties orchards.
The young Apple trees are grafted onto a root stock, referred to as one or two letter M’s (these refer to Malling and Merton the research nurseries that developed the rootstocks) and a number which will refer to the final height and vigour of the grafted tree. Our Apples are on MM106 this will give the trees good support with no need for a permanent stake, and a final height of around 10 to 12ft, the Pears are on Quince A Stock, and the Cherries on Colt Stock.
The Cherry trees, a mix of East Anglia varieties, will be planted outside the main orchard to create an area to picnic and play and you may also enjoy the fruit if you can get to it before the Birds!
To ensure successful pollination and a good crop, varieties have been selected with suitable flowering periods. Apple varieties grow at different rates but all should start to fruit within three years, the Pear’s will fruit a little later.
The oldest Essex dessert apple is D’Arcy spice 1785 and culinary apple Dr. Harvey dates back to 1629. With such enchanting names who could resist the temptation to try these forgotten fruits?
The trees have been planted and staked and a soil improver added which is a mix of recycled compost, grit, and a slow release fertiliser.
Watering and formative pruning in their first few years will give the fruiting tree a good structured frame and on going pruning thereafter will ensure a good crop and a healthy happy tree.
Thank you! To the Friends members who helped with planting on a cold December morning, and also to Bruce Read who generously shared his
knowledge of fruit trees.
The Orchard and surrounding park is yours to enjoy, and we look forward to sharing with you many bountiful Harvests!
Kind Regards,
Richard Bond.
Scroll down the page to see the list of varieties and the planting plan.
The young trees were purchased from the East of England Apples & Orchards Project nursery, an organisation which is dedicated to the restoration of our counties orchards.
The young Apple trees are grafted onto a root stock, referred to as one or two letter M’s (these refer to Malling and Merton the research nurseries that developed the rootstocks) and a number which will refer to the final height and vigour of the grafted tree. Our Apples are on MM106 this will give the trees good support with no need for a permanent stake, and a final height of around 10 to 12ft, the Pears are on Quince A Stock, and the Cherries on Colt Stock.
The Cherry trees, a mix of East Anglia varieties, will be planted outside the main orchard to create an area to picnic and play and you may also enjoy the fruit if you can get to it before the Birds!
To ensure successful pollination and a good crop, varieties have been selected with suitable flowering periods. Apple varieties grow at different rates but all should start to fruit within three years, the Pear’s will fruit a little later.
The oldest Essex dessert apple is D’Arcy spice 1785 and culinary apple Dr. Harvey dates back to 1629. With such enchanting names who could resist the temptation to try these forgotten fruits?
The trees have been planted and staked and a soil improver added which is a mix of recycled compost, grit, and a slow release fertiliser.
Watering and formative pruning in their first few years will give the fruiting tree a good structured frame and on going pruning thereafter will ensure a good crop and a healthy happy tree.
Thank you! To the Friends members who helped with planting on a cold December morning, and also to Bruce Read who generously shared his
knowledge of fruit trees.
The Orchard and surrounding park is yours to enjoy, and we look forward to sharing with you many bountiful Harvests!
Kind Regards,
Richard Bond.
Scroll down the page to see the list of varieties and the planting plan.
Essex Apple - Culinary
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NAME, ORIGIN AND DATE
Excelsior, Boreham 1921 Woodford, Colchester 1900 Dr Harvey, unknown, 1629 Monarch, Boreham 1888 |
SIZE AND APPEARANCE
Large, flushed red Large, yellow Large, yellow Large, yellow/flushed red |
FLAVOUR
Slightly acidic Slightly acidic Slightly acidic Slightly acidic |
PICKING
Late August Late September Late September Late October |
Essex Apples - Desert.
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NAME, ORIGIN AND DATE
George Cave, Dovercourt 1923 Discovery, Langham 1949 Opal, Boreham 1936 Ruby (Seabrook), Boreham 1936 Garnet, Boreham 1936 Braintree Seedling, Braintree 1930 Seabrooks's Red, Boreham 1925 Maldon Wonder, Heybridge 1900 Amber, Boreham 1936 Acme, Boreham 1944 Rosy Blenheim, Hornchurch 1925 Tun Apple, Unknown, pre 1850 Grey Pippin, Bures 1883 Nolan Pippin, Colchester 1920 D'Arcy Spice, Tolleshunt D'Arcy 1785 Sturmer Pippin, Sturmer c1800 |
SIZE AND APPEARANCE
Medium, flushed red Medium/large flushed red Medium, flushed red Medium, flushed red Medium, flushed red Medium, yellow/flushed orange Medium, flushed red Medium, yellow Medium, flushed red Medium, reinette Medium, flushed red Medium, yellow/flushed red Medium, yellow Medium, russet Medium, russet Medium, russet |
FLAVOUR
Sweet Sweet Sweet Sweet Sweet Sweet Sweet Sweet Sweet Sweet Slightly acidic Sweet Sweet Sweet Slightly acidic Slightly acidic |
PICKING
Early August Mid August Late August Early September Early September Early/Mid September Mid September Mid September Mid September Mid September Early October Mid October Late October Late October Late October Late October |
Essex Pears - Dessert
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NAME, ORIGIN AND DATE
Improved Fertility, Boreham 1934 Gansel's Bergamot, Colchester 1768 Johnny Mount Pear, Colchester pre 1900 |
SIZE AND APPEARANCE
Medium, yellow Medium, green Medium, green/russet |
FLAVOUR
Sweet Sweet Sweet |
PICKING
Mid September Mid October Late October |
Slide show - planting trees in December 2011.
