A native Isle of Wight apple tree has been planted at Simeon Green in Newport as part of efforts to celebrate the area’s orchard heritage and encourage more tree planting across the town.
The ‘Bembridge Beauty’ apple tree was planted by Newport & Carisbrooke Town Council (NCTC), with help from Brian Deacon, owner of Godshill-based Grafters Nursery, formerly known as Deacons.
The planting celebrates the history of the area, which was once part of the orchard at Little Gatcombe, before many of the Isle of Wight’s traditional orchards disappeared in the decades following the Second World War.
Councillor Ray Harrington-Vail, Chair of NCTC’s Assets & Facilities Committee, has said:
“This area was once part of the orchard at Little Gatcombe.
“The island has lost many of its orchards since the Second World War and we hope this planting will inspire others to plant apple trees.”
The newly planted tree is set to become even more unusual in February, when Brian will return to graft additional apple varieties onto it, creating a unique multi-variety tree.
Members of the public will be invited to watch the process and learn more about grafting, a traditional horticultural skill which allows different varieties of fruit to grow on the same tree.
The demonstration will offer an opportunity to discover more about the techniques used to preserve and cultivate different apple varieties.
The planting at Simeon Green is part of a wider effort to increase the number of trees in Newport, with further planting planned at other locations across the town over the next 6 months.
A spokesperson for Newport & Carisbrooke Town Council has said:
“We are very grateful to Brian for sharing his knowledge and expertise as we look to increase tree planting throughout the town.”
Anyone interested in learning more about Grafters Nursery or its work can contact Brian on 07977 150102 or through the Grafters Facebook page.
