Young gardeners and local company do their bit for village’s community orchard

Bratton Fleming’s community orchard has some new additions this spring after local landscaping company Birch Meadow Landscaping Ltd welcomed children from Bratton Fleming Pre-school to help plant new fruit trees.

The orchard was originally proposed and planted by Bratton Fleming Parish Council, which has played a key role to establish the project in partnership with Birch Meadow Landscaping.

Supported by a community grant in 2025, the orchard was designed to celebrate and preserve a range of traditional fruit varieties suited to the local area. A previous community planting day saw most of the trees established.

The original scheme allowed space for additional trees, creating an opportunity to involve the next generation in its continued development.

Above and below: The children from Bratton Fleming Pre-school enjoy their orchard excursion and learn more about the natural world. Credit: Birch Meadow Landscaping Ltd

Birch Meadow Landscaping donated three fruit trees, along with all necessary materials, inviting the village pre-school children to take part in the planting. The varieties selected included a traditional Old Greengage, the heritage pear ‘Autumn Bergamot’ and the pear ‘Sensation’.

The orchard aims to reflect local fruit heritage, incorporating both well-known regional varieties and a small number of carefully chosen non-local additions.

Among these is the ‘Tidecombe Seedling’, a rediscovered variety originating from the nearby valley.

Edward Prouse of Birch Meadow Landscaping Ltd said: “It was a real pleasure to involve the children in planting these trees. Projects like this are about more than just landscaping — they’re about creating something lasting for the community and helping young people connect with nature and where they live.”

Leanne Taylor, manager at Bratton Fleming Pre School, added: “We were delighted to be invited up to the Community Orchard to plant new fruit trees. It was a fantastic hands-on experience for our young children, and we are looking forward to watching the trees grow and produce fruit that we can use for snack.”

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