It may be hard to make out but we have a mature forest garden running through the site. There is a diverse range of fruit trees (apple, pear, cherry and plum) which form part of an old orchard. Through the winter we will be restoring the trees back to good health with lots of pruning and ivy clearance. Some trees we will leave as the ivy creates a great habitat for bees and insects which is food for our resident wood pecker plus other bird life.
Closer to the ground there are raspberries, black berries and wild strawberries. Lower down a herb layer for our teas with lots of chamomile, yarrow and mint. The mixed herbs and flowers have attracted lots of different variety of bee and several varieties of hover fly which are essential for keeping down green fly and aphids.
In Spring this area makes a fantastic habitat for the birds and in winter a good wind break to shelter the site from cold winds. The lovely access for all path was put in by a community payback team and is maintained by different community groups. This allows full access across the site by people with different mobility needs and handy for picking out fruity harvest.
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