Orchard is apple of community’s eye

A NEW community orchard has been planted in Ballymun thanks to the efforts of dedicated locals.

The orchard is the end result of coordinated work by Global Action Plan (GAP) Ireland and the Virgin Mary community gardening club. A planting event took place in the grounds of the Virgin Mary Community garden on Tuesday, March 26 and was attended by gardeners and non-gardeners who wanted to learn how to plant, grow and maintain a community orchard.

During the event, resident community gardeners and the GAP Ireland team shared their expertise and knowledge on apple varieties, planting methods, traditional gardening techniques and the long-term maintenance of an orchard.

Locals then, instructed by GAP Ireland staff, planted over 30 varieties of old Irish and heritage apple trees on the day.

Maire Hurley, Gardening Coordinator, GAP Ireland, said the event was a big success.

“Planting a community orchard is a wonderful addition to any community garden, not just for the long term supply of organic grown apples but also the environmental benefits of trees acting as carbon sinks,

? she said.

“The Irish climate is particularly good for growing apple varieties, with old Irish orchards traditionally hosting a mix of dessert, cooking or crab apples.

“Community orchards are vital for preserving the supply of the Irish apple that can be enjoyed for years to come. In addition, community orchards require very little maintenance and are wonderful for enhancing biodiversity within a community.

Vanessa Moore, CEO, Global Action Plan (GAP) Ireland said orchard planting provided a great opportunity for people to come together and learn the skills required for planting and growing their own food.

“These types of events make people aware that you can

‘grow your own’ yielding benefits such as your own food supply and knowing where your food is actually sourced,

? she added.

Funding for the programme was provided by the Tree Council of Ireland as well as sponsors for the scheme, Balfour Beatty CLG and Ballymun Regeneration Limited (BRL).