Saturday, 1 May 2010


Where are all the cherry orchards?

For some time I've seen an old cherry orchard across the valley from where I live & kept meaning to go and have a look. The other night I finally got around to going over there & what a little beauty. Probably only a couple of acres, but about 20 splendid old trees - the oldest ones with girths of about 9 feet, so perhaps 80-100 years old.
It's a great sadness that these orchards are of little economic importance these days and the stats. say that nationally we've lost 90% of 'em in the last 50 years. We should do something now to conserve these rare landscape features and repositories of our nation's cherry genes.
I sat beneath this honey sweet canopy transported.
If you know about old or interesting cherry trees (wild or cultivated) contact the Ancient Tree Hunt at the Woodland Trust as they're keen to gather info. right now.