Steyning Community Orchard Blossom Day Saturday 27th April 2019.

Steyning Community Orchard will be celebrating spring with a Blossom Day Picnic on Saturday 27th April from 12 noon to 2 pm. in the Memorial Playing Field. There is no charge for this event: just bring along a picnic and enjoy the blossom on the fruit trees.

There will be a children’s craft marquee with lots of activities. They will get a chance to make a decorated flowery hoop or a buzzy bee mobile.  They will also be able to draw, paint and colour pictures of blossom. No charge for these activities, but we would appreciate a donation towards the costs of materials. Tea, coffee, and the orchard’s own apple juice and home-made lemonade will be on sale.

With the days getting longer and spring flowers appearing everywhere, we are starting to look forward to the appearance of blossom on the trees in the orchard. In February, two more trees were planted, both apples. The first was donated by Fred and Margaret Greenwood to celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary. They chose an apple called 'Reverend Wilks'. Fred said they chose that variety because shortly after they got married they planted a Rev. Wilks tree in their garden. In the first year it produced just one apple which he took to a local flower show where it won a prize.

Then Ann Taylor and her family and friends planted a tree in memory of her husband Brian. It was a Catshead, a cooking apple which was first recorded in England in 1629. Both planters were accompanied by a large number of family and friends of all ages.

These two bring the total number of trees planted in the orchard to 26. The first of the new trees were planted in 2015 and are a mixture of apples, pears, plums and a quince, together with the older trees, which include apples, plums and cherry plums and should put on a good show of blossom.

The Community Orchard Group also planted six more trees in the Steyning Downland Scheme Orchard and Wild Play area. Here the varieties are chosen to appeal to children and include Sunset and Jupiter which are Cox-like, Worcester Pearmain which is bright red and tastes of strawberries and Ashmead’s Kernel, tasting like fruit drops. In addition there is a Conference pear and a Victoria plum, both popular varieties.

In early March, we were delighted to help plant a further 7 trees in the Bramber Community Orchard at Bramber Brooks. This new Orchard now has 15 trees and is well worth a visit if you have not yet found it. The entrance to Bramber Brooks is opposite St Mary’s House in Bramber.

More information about us and our Orchards:
E: Steyningorchard@gmail.com
Facebook for the latest updates and news:
facebook.com/Steyningcommunityorchard
W: steyningcommunityorchard.org