Fruit tree guilds

The Hideaway will support over 100 fruit tree guilds, where several layers of edible plants, shrubs and climbers will coexist in a mutually beneficial environment under a fruit tree. One of the main aims of creating fruit tree guilds within our forest garden is to create a “No-Dig” sustainable way to grow perennial vegetables and plants which require little or no maintenance. Based on permaculture growing methods, these guilds can be sponsored and created by individuals, groups, families and companies.

What is a fruit tree guild?

A fruit tree guild is a system of efficiently grouping different plants together in order to use everything to its fullest potential. In other words, any group of edible plants that are working together to a common goal.

WHY FRUIT TREE GUILDS?

A key aim of the forest garden is to test out and create a variety of guilds with different mixes of planting to see which perform best. This will in turn be used to inform researchers from a local university about what constitutes an effective fruit tree guild. We are inspired by Robert Hart’s vision of “Having 1000’s of forest gardens in England” We believe that this may help to inform house builders of the value of good design for gardens combined with planting for purpose and pleasure. Our Fruit Tree Guilds are available for sponsorship at only £1000 per garden. Contact us now for more information. You will be able to come along and pick the fruits from your Fruit Tree Guild at any time.

DONATE

hidden Hearts

Make a donation and help us plant trees where you can dedicate a tree and place a Hidden Heart in the wood which has over 1000 trees of English Oak, Alder, Silver Birch, Hornbeam, Wild Cherry, Goat Willow, Blackthorn, Beech and Hawthorn.  The Stratford upon Avon Forest Garden will become a relaxing, peaceful space to sit and reflect where you can enjoy the beautiful surroundings of a range of small fruit tree guilds, which support up to 100 edible plants, shrubs and trees. 

You have a unique opportunity to leave a token of your love for somebody special as an environmentally friendly and unique gift. Your heart will be hidden in the wood at a location of your choosing, so that you can discover this special place when you visit. You can make a donation here.

To dedicate a heart you can make a donation. Just let us know what special message you would like and we’ll do the rest. We’ll take a picture and share it with you on your preferred social sharing platform – or by email. Whichever way you choose you can be sure that your donation will be well used in creating this lovely lasting legacy for generations to enjoy.

Hedgerows

Help us plant over 1000 metres of hedgerow by 2025 which will act as a haven for wildlife and biodiversity. The main function of the hedgerows is to create a natural windbreak which in turn will help to create a micro-climate which is conducive to supporting the wildlife that we are protecting at the Hideaway. Bring your team for a CSR team building day to make a difference or you can get involved by sponsoring a metre of hedgerow now.

Native hedgerow

We will be planting a mix of native hedges which will include blackthorn, hazel, dog rose, cherry plum, crab apple, field maple, hawthorn and elder. 

Blackthorn  

Blackthorn (prunus spinosa) also known as 'sloe', is a small deciduous tree native to the UK and most of Europe. Early flowering, blackthorn provides a valuable source of nectar and pollen for bees in spring. Its foliage is a food plant for the caterpillars of many moths, including the lackey, magpie, common emerald, small eggar, swallow-tailed and yellow-tailed. It is also used by the black and brown hairstreak butterflies. Birds nest among the dense, thorny thickets, eat caterpillars and other insects from the leaves, and feast on the berries in autumn.

CHERRY PLUM

Cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) is one of the first prunus species to flower in spring and can grow to eight metres. The bark is dark grey and develops fissures with age, and twigs are green and covered in a fine down when young. After pollination by insects, the flowers develop into yellow or red cherry-like fruits. Cherry plum flowers were used by Dr Edward Bach to create a remedy for people in fear losing control of their behaviour, and are still used in Bach Flower Remedies today. 

CRAB APPLE

Crab apple (Malus sylvestris) Crab apple thrives in heavy soil in hedgerows, woods and areas of scrub.  Unlike many trees, the crab apple grows singly, and sometimes woods will only have one tree. The crab apple is one of the few host trees to the parasitic mistletoe, Viscum album, and trees are often covered in lichens. 

The brown and pointed leaf buds form on short stalks, and have downy hair on their tips, followed by glossy, oval leaves, which grow to a length of 6cm and have rounded triangular teeth. In spring, the sweetly scented blossom is pollinated by bees and other insects, which develops into small, yellow-green apple-like fruits, around 2-3cm across.  Sometimes the fruits are flushed with red or white spots when ripe. Birds and mammals eat the fruit and disperse the seeds.

DOG ROSE

Dog rose (rosa canina) has long stems with hooked thorns which help them to climb and scramble over other shrub The hips are high in vitamin C and were traditionally used to make a valuable syrup, especially in times of scarcity such as wartime. The fine hairs found inside the hips used to be popular with children, who extracted them for use as 'itching powder'

ELDER

Elder (Sambucus nigra) trees grow to a height of around 15m and can live for 60 years. Elder is characterised by its short trunk (bole), and grey-brown, corky, furrowed bark. it has relatively few branches. after pollination by insects, each flower develops into a small, purple-black, sour berry, which ripens from late-summer to autumn. Elders are hermaphrodite, meaning both the male and female reproductive parts are contained within the same flower.

HAZEL

Hazel (Corylus avellana) is often coppiced, but when left to grow, trees can reach a height of 12m, where it can live for up to 80 years (if coppiced, hazel can live for several hundred years). It has a smooth, grey-brown, bark, which peels with age, and bendy, hairy stems. Leaf buds are oval, blunt and hairy. Hazel is monoecious, meaning that both male and female flowers are found on the same tree, although hazel flowers must be pollinated by pollen from other hazel trees. The yellow male catkins appear before the leaves and hang in clusters, from mid-February. Female flowers are tiny and bud-like with red styles

How to become a hedge fund manager

Accessible paths

The Stratford upon Avon Forest Garden will have over ten kilometres of accessible paths that can be enjoyed by everyone. The location is designed to enable inclusive and safe enjoyment of the natural environment for people of all ages and abilities.

The connected paths will form a Healthy Heart Trail, which is designed to help people to enjoy exercise in a relaxed and beautiful location. Working with Heart Research UK and our corporate sponsors the paths will also provide a much needed exercise trail in Stratford upon Avon where people can walk, cycle, jog, run and use any sort of wheelchair in a traffic free, quiet and inspiring location.

We are striving to be the best place to visit with open and inclusive access for all. There is ample free parking at the location and a cafe and toilets are nearby at Stratford Armouries.

PONDS

Ponds within the forest garden will provide beautiful, peaceful open areas for people to sit and enjoy the natural surroundings, as well as providing valuable habitat for a range of species, including insects, birds, bats and amphibians. We will also be able to grow a number of unusual edible species associated with aquatic habitat.

TREES

There will be over 500 trees across the native woodland and forest garden areas, comprising up to 30 different species, including well known native trees and many fruit trees. Designing the tree canopy is an important part of creating the forest garden, as trees provide shelter, wind-protection and establish a root system that can improve soil conditions, making it easier to grow other plant species.

Much of the forest garden will be designed around fruit-tree 'guilds', where attractive fruit trees will provide a focal point for a group of plant species that perform different functions and create a low maintenance 'mini-ecosystem.

We are grateful to the Woodland Trust who have provided over 400 trees which include hazel, crab apple and dog rose. We will plant a large number of Italian Alder which will form the high canopy of the forest garden.

Medicinal garden

The Stratford upon Avon Forest Garden will grow a large amount of plants that can be used as natural remedies in our Medicinal Garden. You can sponsor this garden which will be used for teaching and teambuilding activities.
 

Biodiversity

The Stratford upon Avon Forest Garden is already home to some wonderful species of plants, birds, bees and wildlife. We regularly see Roe deer leaping across the fields. The sound of a skylark is often heard in the summer months as it ascends high above the airfield singing its heart out.  And then there’s the wide range of songbirds and other birds that frequent the area to feed on the fruits found in its hedgerows.

The sightings include goldfinch, thrush, wren, blackbird, sparrowhawk, kestrel, barn owl, blue tit, coal tit, long tailed tit amongst many. We are actively aiming to encourage bees and butterflies to help to pollinate the many and varied choice of edible plants, shrubs and trees that will grow and be harvested in our forest garden.