Bisley Community Orchard
Our orchard is home to seventeen varieties of indigenous Gloucestershire apples trees, two Perry pears, two damsons, and a selection of edible hedgerow trees.
Bisley’s Community Orchard is a celebration of community in nature and the opportunity for people to sample and enjoy local produce. The orchard helps to enhance biodiversity, creating a new habitat for bees and other wildlife as well as providing a food resource to the village and anyone who needs it.
In addition to providing crops and habitats we also host community activities and events and are soon to be linking up with the local village primary.
Passionately involved in the project from its beginning, the orchard stands as a memorial to the late (and much missed) Lyn Hemming. To commemorate Lyn’s work and commitment as Bisley Tree Warden, the Cotswold Tree Warden Group presented the Orchard with a rare indigenous variety of Perry pear,
The Beetroot pear (Pyrus sp. Var.) and planted it in honour of Lyn.
The orchard
A brief history of the orchard
As part of the project to revitalise the Chestergate Allotment site in Bisley, we started with an Orchard Workshop led by Dave Kaspar of Day’s Cottage (Day’s Cottage apple juice) during Zero Waste in January 2009.
Inspired, Jilly Cobbe then took the lead in developing a plan for the Community Orchard, with the assistance of Trustees of the Charity the Ancient Parish of Bisley who own the Chestergate Allotment site.
Funding was secured with Bisley village residents voting to give £400 won as a result of the Calor Gas ‘Gloucestershire Environmental Village of the Year’ Award of 2008 in addition to a £600 grant raised from the O2 Fund.
Following an absolutely odious winter, the first small trees were planted on the 7th of February 2010 and, thanks to Bairbre McAteer, blessed with the song we still sing today - celebrated (naturally) with apple juice and cake.
February 26th 2010 the Community Orchard Group held a ‘Planting and Wassail’ afternoon following the glorious (and much appreciated) award of edible hedgerow trees by the Woodland Trust.
In January 2016 we honoured one of our founder Members Lyn Hemming with a memorial led by her sons George and Hadley.
The Community Orchard Group and friends planted a Rowan and a Mulberry in memory of Lyn. An allotment holder donated another Rowan and this forms the gateway to the Community Orchard through the edible hedgerow. This was planted in 2016.
The donations given in memory of Lyn have helped, and continue to help, support the orchard to this day.
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A yearly ritual
In the spring we wake up the trees.
2024 was very well attended with marvellous cakes, lovely singing and a snowman!
