Exciting plans for a community orchard in Sidmouth

As part of Sidmouth Arboretum's tree planting collaboration with Sidmouth Town Council and a local employer who is sponsoring our work (their name will be revealed after February 27), a community orchard is to be planted on land beside Stowford Community Centre

Planting is due to take place on Friday, 28 February.

This will be site three of the more than twenty planting sites identified around the town.

Ed Dolphin told Nub News: "We planted pollinator friendly flowering trees and a mixed hedge using materials donated by the Ovo Energy/TCV 'I Dig Trees' project.

"This was at site one near The Bowd in January, and a mixture of conifers and deciduous trees plus another mixed hedgees at site two in Stowford Rise on Valentine's Day.

"On both occasions, we were delighted to be helped by several volunteers who were recruited through the Sidmouth Community Group on Facebook and members of Sidmouth Town Council.

"We believe that engaging children with our work is vital and so we will be helped by 65 key stage one children from Sidmouth Primary School on the day.

"There will also be activities for the children in the centre.

"Local author, Jo Earlam, will be storytelling and Carolyn Trussell from Arboretum will be playing a game where children choose the best site to plant different trees."

The plan is to plant thirty trees; apples, plums and pears. The apples will be a mix of varieties, some early season and some late season, plus a West Country collection from Adam's Apples of Payhembury.

Ed continued: "We planted a hedge beside the site a few weeks ago to separate the orchard from a steep bank that runs down to the centre.

"There will be a fresh round of planting at more of the sites next autumn.

"In the meantime, Sidmouth Arboretum is working with EDDC and Devon Wildlife Trust's Seaton Jurassic to develop a 'Fossil Garden' in Sidmouth's award winning Connaught Gardens.

"This involves planting trees and shrubs with clear links to the fossil records of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods."

More information on the Sidmouth Arboretum website accessible via the red button below.