Dunsden Community Orchard

Binfield Heath Allotment Group have organised this visit and are looking for other interested parties to help fill the coach on Saturday, 9th August!

Garden Organic Ryton is an internationally famous tourist attraction comprising ten acres of display gardens managed entirely organically and all aspects of domestic horticulture are on show, including composting, pest and disease control, fruit and vegetable production, herbs, roses, lawns, shrubberies and herbaceous plantings.
The 10 acre garden contains a wide variety of planting and has over 30 individual gardens in the beautifully landscaped grounds including a Rose Garden, Cooks Garden, Paradise Garden and RSPB Wildlife Garden. 

The new Vegetable Way and Vegetable Inspirations gardens show just how easy it is to grow vegetables at home. There are lots of unusual ideas to try out - including growing vegetables in containers and amongst your ornamental border. The Flowers for Pleasure Garden is also new and demonstrates how to grow good quality flowers for cutting and drying at home.
There is also an award-winning organic shop, an interactive visitor experience – the Vegetable Kingdom, and the charity’s world-renowned Heritage Seed Library, which preserves over 800 varieties of vegetable under threat of extinction.

The gardens are accessible by wheelchair and mobility scooters are available if booked in advance. The Restaurant at Garden Organic Ryton was voted as Best Organic Restaurant 2007.  There is also an organic café and visitors are also welcome to picnic in the garden.

Tickets cost £20 with a £5 reduction for Garden Organic and RHS members.  There is also a reduction for children.  Tickets are available from Binfield Heath Stores or from Beth Timms on 01189 461987 or beth.timms[at]btinternet.com

We plan to leave Binfield Heath at 9am returning at approximately 5.30pm (other local pick-ups can be arranged as necessary).

Thanks to the generosity of Richard Butler, Branch Manager at Travis Perkins, Playhatch we were able to re-instate access from Tagg Lane to the orchard last weekend. Travis Perkins donated two drainage pipes and have promised some fencing, so now we will be able to get a bowser into the orchard to prevent any more trees from dying. Volunteers will be needed to maintain the watering rota.

Tree sponsorship is proving a big success - a big thank you to all that have supported us so far - and we are also inviting people to become members of the orchard. Just download the form available here.

Most of the trees are thriving, some more trees have been planted, and a final batch is due in the autumn. We will soon be posting a new map of the orchard which will show which trees have already been sponsored. 

The current dry weather has been taking its toll at the orchard. We are hoping for heavy rain as a small number of trees seem to have perished in spite of attempts to save them. Watering is difficult as the site does not have its own supply, but it has been possible to get a hose across the road from the village hall. A bowser has been promised, but if anyone has a very large (500l+) tank it would also be very useful. If you think you might be able to help, please email now.

Our tree sponsorship scheme is proving very successful. Some 15 trees have been sponsored and commemorative labels will be attached in the next few weeks. The special certificates provided with each tree adoption are also proving very popular. If you want to sponsor a tree the time is now, before the variety you want is taken!

A working party may well be arranged for later this month - more details in a future story.