Orchard Planting in Mayow Park

Hilly Fields Orchard - June 2011

Alona has written to tell us of a new orchard being planted in Mayow Park at the end of January. Many of you will recall that we planted our orchard in Hilly Fields around the same time last year and had a fantastic turn out. This orchard will be the third one in our borough planted in partnership with London Orchard Project Details below:

Come along and help plant 10 fruit trees in Mayow Park, Sydenham, with the London Orchard Project.

DATE: Saturday 28th January 2012 .

Time 12 - 3pm.

The orchard will be on the southern side of the park, very near the tennis courts. The London Orchard Project will bring the trees, stakes, tree guards and tools. Their staff will guide volunteers on how to plant and look after the trees. 

If you live near the park, you could be involved with the care of the orchard. The trees will need regular watering, weeds removed from around the trees plus occasional mulching. In time they will need some pruning. Training will be given on care of the orchard. For more information about tree planting or becoming an orchard carer email: friendsofmayowpark@ymail.com  

It's time to wassail again!

Wassailing on Hilly Fields - January 2010

It's time to wassail (wish good health to) our fruit trees on Hilly Fields  for 2012, so with this in mind, we are meeting at the orchard site next to the Stone Circle on

Sunday 5 February from 4.00 to 5.00pm

(earlier this year to make it more child-friendly). 

Each tree will be wassailed with our Hilly Fields Wassail Song, a sprinkling of cider or ale and a piece of toast.  We then need to make lots of noise to make the evil spirits go away.  Please bring the necessary goodies for your tree. The words for the Wassail Song are copied below for you to print and bring along, and whistles, rattles or pots and pans will do a great job for despatching any tree-unfriendly spirits!

A bowl of warm mulled apple-juice has been promised as per last year - very welcome, thanks!

Although this is addressed to the orchard carer group, everyone is welcome to come along and celebrate the first successful year of growth (thanks to their committed 'carers') of our very young fruit trees.

Words to the Wassail Song - to the tune of 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas':

We wish you much bud and blossom,
We wish you much bud and blossom,
We wish you much bud and blossom,
And a healthy root growth.

We wassail to you, may you prosper and thrive,
We wassail and toast thee, our fair young apple tree.  (You have to say fair and young quite quickly together)

See you there!

'appy New Year!

So as we enter the new year we have plenty to discuss and do for the forthcoming year. The first event coming up is our next meeting which will be on Thursday 19th January. Please note the venue is Mr Lawrence Wine Bar in Crofton Park. Meeting starts prompt at 7:30pm. This is a change from the previously advertised date of Wednesday 11th Jan.

As a reminder of some of the things we get up to one of our members kindly sent us some images of her granddaughters picking apples from last Autumn at one of our fruit harvesting events. With so many apples there was more than enough to be able to offer some free to passers by which brings us nicely onto something related which will be happening soon...wassailing! Following last years successful 'wassail' at the new orchard on Hilly Fields we are planning a repeat of the event sometime towards the end of January. More details soon.