BLOG: A flourishing community orchard at Rectory Park - By Tim Goodwin
13 May 2020
Last year staff from Network Homes and local volunteers planted 70 trees and 5,000 bulbs creating a new community orchard in Rectory Park. I imagine after weeks of Lockdown, even the memory of wet feet, cold, and aching backs during our project in November 2019 will have acquired a rosy glow!
Tim Goodwin, Regneration Manager at Network Homes
I imagine after weeks of Lockdown, even the memory of wet feet, cold, and aching backs during our project in November 2019 will have acquired a rosy glow! For a quick reminder checkout our video here: WATCH - Network plants new community orchard at Rectory Park.
Three days of volunteer planting by over 30 staff, alongside residents, local community, and staff at The Football Centre transformed an empty windswept section of the Rectory Park. Now the Community Orchard is flourishing, and trees are laden with blossom.
Our dense patches of daffodils have brightened the Park from the middle of March suggesting that the endless rains of the spring wouldn’t drown everything.
Residents can look forward to a wide variety of fruits they will be able to pick in the summer, including apples, pears, cherries and historic fruits such as quinces, mulberries and medlars. Walnuts and Chestnuts will also contribute to the attractions.
For many years to come, the hundreds of trees, shrubs and bulbs planted will grow and provide residents of Rectory Park with a beautiful amenity space, the size of a football pitch including the Lake, right on their doorstep
We have spoken to residents about the opportunity of sponsoring a tree with their children. They get a sign on the tree, and will be encouraged to give it some water in dry spells, and learn about ecology, tree care and pruning with Ealing Council Parks etc.
The lake was dug as a contribution to the community by Hills, it’s beginning to look good, and is already attracting lots of wildlife. The council plan to install a pond liner in the summer so the lake doesn't dry up.
Check out some of our photos of the orchard below.
