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What is an orchard?

And why are orchards great in so many ways?

The official definition of orchards

Orchards are areas planted with fruit and nut trees such as apples, pears, cherries, gages, plums, quinces, peaches, walnuts or hazelnuts. Natural England defines the minimum size of an orchard as 'five trees with crown edges less than 20m apart. However, the potential biological and genetic interest of sites with fewer trees, such as relict orchards and individual trees within gardens, is noted'.

Etymology

There seem to be different theories of origin of the word orchard. One is from Old English ortgeard, where the first element is from the Latin word hortus ‘garden’, the second representing yard. However, others say it relates to the German 'ort' for place. Bear with us while we research this further.

It's pronounced /ˈɔːtʃəd/ and you can hear what the word orchard sounds like at the Cambridge Dictionary

What's so good about orchards?

Wildlife havens

Orchards are great habitats for wildlife. Don't take our word for it: they're officially recognised as priority habitats under Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act.

Stories

Orchards help us understand our history. Street and building names still hint at the history of local fruit-growing. Cultivars connect us with the land and people, such as Luton's own cultivar, Pam’s Delight, or the famous Laxton Brothers nursery in nearby Bedford.

Many uses

Orchards benefit people AND nature - especially valuable in a dense urban environment. They provide food, shelter and beauty. That's in line with the principles of the government’s Green Infrastructure Framework - so orchards are bang on trend.

Orchards are where people are

Orchards fascinate people of all ages and cultures. In Luton, they're located across lots of political wards, many of them publicly accessible, right where people live. They're really well-distributed across the town, as you can see on our orchard map.

Skills and knowledge

Orchards are deeply linked with traditional techniques and customs, from harvesting and cooking to pruning and grafting. And have you heard of wassailing? With their varied seasonal sensory experiences, orchards connect us with agriculture, food, art, beekeeping, land management and more. You can see some nearby activities on our events list.

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