Fruity Corners Project

 

The 2011 project is at Scotch Quarry Park

Land has been identified in the park, plans drawn up and generopus funding given by The Lottery

Contact Project coordinator: Simon Gershon
simon@51ashfield.me.uk, tel. 542742 - if you'd like to get invloved.

 

The primary aim:

To create discrete areas in public spaces across the City 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

So far three Fruity Corners have been planted up during 2009/10-


    Williamson Park
    Land above Esthwaite Gardens
    Land off Dorrington Road

     

     

The general process for a Fruity Corner is this -

  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