Farr's Orchard
This orchard is located just off the New Bedford Road and is named after the creator of the adjacent Bide-a-While garden. A good dozen veteran fruit trees from around the 1930s are hidden within the woodland. A small orchard was added in 2019 by Penrose Roots. It is looked after by the volunteers from the Penrose Roots to Recovery garden, with support from Luton Orchards and Luton Council.
Summary
Location: Barnfield
Size: 0.79ha
Number of trees: 30 approx.
Crops: apple, cherry, pear, plum
Age of trees: young trees, veteran trees
Access: any time, council-owned, but please respect the privacy of the adjacent Penrose Roots to Recovery garden staff and volunteers
Natural England incremental ID: BEDF0432
History
The 1922 OS map lists the land here as 'Allotment Gardens' and we believe the trees are left from the top fruit that was grown on the plots. Some fences showing the old allotment boundaries remained in 2024, but are due to be removed.
The area adjacent to Bide-a-While is surrounded by hedging and fencing around different groups of trees:
about 7 veteran fruit trees are close by the hedge to Bide-a-While
a dozen or so of fruit trees are hidden within the wooded area of sycamore, hazel and elderflower to the east of the private Penrose Roots to Recovery garden
12+ young fruit trees were planted in 2019 by Penrose Roots to Recovery along the north-west corner of the site to ensure a succession of fruit trees there.
Luton Council's Nature Conservation Volunteers are working to clear the scrub around some of the trees in the wooded area for the habitat benefits this brings.
Crop types and cultivars at Farr's orchard
The cultivars of the veteran trees are currently unknown. The new plantings from Penrose Roots include:
Type Cultivar
Apple Lord Lambourne
Awaiting complete list.
Maintenance and pruning
The 2019 plantings are maintained by Penrose Roots volunteers and Luton Orchards held a pruning course in February 2024. Many of the trees are now developing a good framework. The veteran trees have been largely untouched for many years and would benefit from careful restoration work to stop overly extended limbs from breaking. Clearing the scrub and coppicing the hazel would help bring light back on to the trees to ensure their survival. When sun hits the trunks and raises the temperature within the tree, it also increases the habitat value.
