The Orchard Belvedere

The new orchard 'belvedere' which has kindly been donated by a member of our local community. It still isn't quite finished yet - there's an easy access ramp to install and some seating - but it provides wonderful views across the orchard to our farm and the sea.

 The grass during the summer has been an amazing sea of clover, birdsfoot trefoil and oxeye daises. Now we have cut it down in the hope that it will reflower next year. 

 Here is the orchard in July - you can see the beautiful flowery grass.

The orchard preparing for winter

Work in the rain

Tom and Tommy have been working in the orchard to build the base for a sheltered seating/gazebo. We want the structure to be in place in time for the Lowick Northumbria in Bloom judging next week, but unfortunately the terrible weather has meant that time is running out. Today, the two men worked for many hours despite a steady drizzle.

Tommy - cheerful even though very wet!

Roberta’s been checking her Blenheim Orange apple tree. Slugs Ugh!

 The wildflower mix in the grass is tremendous, even in the rain!

A huge 'THANK YOU' to Luke Bell who strimmed around all the trees, signs and hedging plants in the orchard. It was a long, time consuming job and it was tremendously kind of Luke to offer so much help.

 John and Dave came to Hunting Hall earlier in the week to help Tom erect the walls of the gazebo.

John behind bars

The Last Tree

On the 5^th of April the last tree was planted in our orchard. The Croasdale family, back for a visit from Germany, planted a cherry tree in the remaining 112^th space.

The wind blows straight across the orchard from the sea, so we’ve been planting a shelter belt of poplars. To pay for the trees we offered our holiday cottage guests the opportunity to offset their holiday carbon emissions by buying a tree to plant. Here are Amanda and Murphy who were staying in Newt Cottage last week, helping Tom and Tommy add three poplars to the row.