HERITAGE APPLES A growing legacy

Kirsty Williams visits the heritage fruit tree nursery of Tom Adams and finds a fascinating range of once-forgotten apple varieties now available for the home gardener

- Kirsty William

In the borderlands of North Shropshire and Wales, there is a remarkable story of revival and reconnection with Britain's horticultural heritage. Meet Tom, a modern-day guardian of a forgotten legacy - ancient apple trees that were once thought extinct. Sparked by a serendipitous discovery on a relative's farm, Tom's captivating journey weaves together history, nature and the future of sustainable agriculture.

Tom Adams' seven-acre heritage fruit tree nursery is home to a diverse array of ancient fruit varieties - apples, pears, plums, cherries, damsons, medlar and quince. In addition, a newly established community interest company, Grow Weston Rhyn, headed by Tom, runs seasonal workshops on pruning, grafting, coppicing and tree planting, as well as school visits, where youngsters can pick fruit, watch a cooking demo using home-grown produce and engage in discussions such as soil regeneration, carbon capture and bio-dynamic planting. Three further businesses operate on site: the British Chamomile Company grows chamomile for making tea, Blooming El grows cut flowers for weddings and the British Bee Company has hives for honey production and pollination. An allotment provides seasonal vegetables for those who work on site.

PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES

Tom's approach to working with these heritage varieties is done using modern agroforestry and permaculture principles and the site is certified organic with the Soil Association.

The key to growing healthy trees is to have healthy soil, enriched here by mulching with ramial chipped wood which is generated by the coppicing of young willow and native broadleaf trees grown on site. Green manures are also grown and incorporated into the soil.