These stunning drone images show newly planted orchards designed to look like the cross-section of an apple.
The pictures, released today by the National Trust, show five interlocking orchard ‘rooms’ at Brockhampton that mimic the five seed chambers visible when an apple is cut horizontally.
They have been installed to tell the story of how the humble apple arrived in the UK thousands of years ago - and to provide homes for wildlife.
There are ‘rooms’ dedicated to the Grandpa Ailes apple from Kazakhstan and the Herefordshire cider apple, as well as one filled with Shropshire Prune trees, one of the oldest varieties of damson.
The planting is the culmination of a three-year project to reimagine 21 acres of lost orchard at the site, which is already home to the biggest orchard cared for by the National Trust.
It was funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and Arts Council England.
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The concept and design, started in 2019, are by artist Walter Jack Studio and landscape architects the Rathbone Partnership, with varieties of tree specially chosen to tell the story of the eating apple, from its origins in Kazakhstan through to its traditional use as the Herefordshire cider apple.
According to the artists, the circular orchards “are about telling this story of fruit at Brockhampton and where it began a few miles away and a few thousand miles away. This is about the geographical and international connections that are the extraordinary story of fruit”.
Hundreds of trees planted at Brockhampton
Trees have been planted elsewhere on the estate too, with 700 installed in total. Species of apple, damson, pear and quince have been selected alongside maple, hazel, elder and blackthorn, providing a variety of habitats for pollinators and other wildlife.
National Trust countryside manager Iain Carter said: “It’s fantastic to see the lost orchards that once encircled the manor house brought back to life and reimagined.
“It is a celebration of fruit – both the fascinating history of how it first arrived in England, and the many benefits fruiting trees can provide for wildlife.”
About 3km of accessible paths have also been installed, as well as a natural play trail for children, while a historic trow boat takes centre stage in the restored orchards.
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