The Prescott Memories Orchard
At the Old Irish Farmhouse Carrowcullen, The Prescott Memories Orchard was planted in spring 2022 and spring 2023. To last year’s ten fruit trees, an additional ten heritage fruits and150 hedging plants were placed on the more protected, north side of the farmhouse this spring.
The original orchard was in this pasture, but the long disappeared four apple trees were planted parallel to the lane’s hedge.
This ambitious ‘re’planting of the orchard is intended sustainably to ‘plant for the future.’ In addition it promotes biodiversity. The fruit trees provide food for butterflies and bees. Moreover, many bird species stop to sing on the ‘singing tree’ and nest in the adjacent hedges and trees. They have a short trip to alight on perches for a survey and then gather insects before returning to nests and nestlings with full bills.
Moreover, the orchard is also intended to allow guests to engage with themselves, another/other, memories and inspirational nature in a peaceful place of repose and reflection.
The hedge hawthorns are bursting into bloom.
One of the newly planted heritage fruit trees blooms with promise of fruit to emerge: Balinara pippin.