Fruity Corners Project

The primary aim:

To create discrete areas in public spaces where fruit, nuts and other edible plants are grown, which are freely available to the public. To do this in a way that is welcomed and sustainable

The secondary aims:

  • To bring communities together and to build skills through:
    • Identifying suitable planting sites
    • Creating a planting and maintenance plan for each site
    • Organising and carrying out a planting day
    • Checking and maintaining the sites, in collaboration with the City Council
    • Developing educational activities around the sites
  • Helping people connect to their food
  • Encouraging participation in further food-growing projects

What we need to do first:

  1. Identify suitable sites.- DONE, four sites
    Williamson Park
    above Esthwaite Gardens
    Land off Dorrington Road
    Scotch Quarry Park (contaminated soil unfortunately makes this site unsuitable)
  2. Survey both current users of the open space and nearby residents.(on going)
  3. Identify local community groups to work with, as well as local residents.
    The group could be one already managing green space, or could be some other community group which does not do this as a group but has individuals within it that have gardening or similar skills. There would in any case be mentoring from a suitably experienced person.

Then we will need to: (some of the following tasks are on going but some funding for trees has been awarded)

  1. Cost up the planting of the different sites, taking into account size, soil, aspect, shade etc AND the preferences of the group looking after the site.
  2. Apply for grants. We can expect to get some financial support from both the city and county council
  3. Plan the timing of the planting, overseeing. I would hope to get the trees planted this winter
  4. Prepare a simple management plan for each site
  5. Make sure people in the groups have the skills
  6. Recruit local residents into the planting and maintenance groups – the earlier the better

The intention is to plant low-maintenance areas, based on permaculture principles and using perennial plants. Volunteer groups often struggle to attract people after initial enthusiasm dwindles, so each area needs to be maintainable by the inevitable dedicated few. The best sourcebook for this concept is ‘How to Make a Forest Garden’ by Patrick Whitefield (I have a copy). However, we need to allow for paths and some ground compaction throughout since people will walk though when picking. Possibly some hard or soft landscaping can help us – so there may be a need for extra materials at the design & costing stage. Also fences and/or gates

Planting will take place over 2 or 3 seasons, putting fruit trees in first and allowing them to become established for a year before planting bushes and ground-cover plants.

Volunteer help is needed now to conduct surveys! If you live near one of the sites and want to help with setting up, planting and growing contact -

Project coordinator: Simon Gershon
simon@51ashfield.me.uk, tel. 542742