Newbury orchard pruning workshop brings apple tree care to City Recreation Ground
A Newbury gardening group hosted an orchard pruning workshop in the City Recreation Ground to teach people how to care for apple trees.
Growing Newbury Green was formed when the group planted their first orchard at Barn Crescent 10 years ago after they wanted to see more fruit trees in Newbury’s green spaces.
Since their formation in 2012, they have grown from a bunch of interested amateurs into a dedicated group of community volunteers.
With help from Newbury Town Council the group has facilitated the planting of more than 60 apple trees in several sites around town.
A member of Growing Newbury Green Tony Hammond said: “The main thing for us is that we want people to not just think about where their food comes from, but also help provide them with a local space to grow their own.
“We want people to have creative ideas about how they use their food.”
The workshop, which was held on Saturday (29 January), aimed to teach people how to encourage the growth of apple trees, keep them healthy and about community orchards and traditional apple varieties around Newbury.
Growing Newbury Green have run multiple public workshops over the years, with another one scheduled to take place in early March.
The group is also currently planning to plant its next community micro-orchard in Roebuts Close this month, after a positive reaction from local residents.
Growing Newbury Green also have connections with other local gardening and ecological groups, such as Lockdown Woods and the Greener Greenham Group.
To learn more about Growing Newbury Green, visit their website - www.growingnewburygreen.org.uk/
