Heritage Fruit Trees in the Community Orchard
After a rigorous selection process, we decided to order the following varieties of fruit trees all of which are old Leicestershire stock. The selection consists of two plum and seven apple trees.
One of the plum trees comes from Goscote Nurseries and is called Syston White; the other plum tree comes from Brogdale (see Below) and is called Golden Monarch. Both are grafted onto St Julian A rootstock.
Syston White: It is well known in the Syston locality and has been grown there for well over 100 years. It is yellow, oval in shape, thin skinned and a good sized dessert plum. Normally crops in September.
Golden Monarch: A yellow fruit which has firm very juicy flesh and moderately sweet. Raised in Leicester by T. G. Smith well before 1952. A cross between Monarch and an unknown variety.
Brogdale Horticultural Trust in Faversham Kent, holds a collection of over 2300 apple varieties and 350 plum. They graft particular varieties to order and so we asked them to graft the apple stains we wanted to form the heart of our new orchard area. The grafting took place March 2004 onto MM106 rootstock. The trees were delivered and planted during February 2005.
Annie Elizabeth: Flushed and stripy appearance; a late cooker. Raised in 1857 by Samuel Greatorex a magistrates clerk, at Avenue Road, Knighton St Mary Leicester. Claimed Blenheim Orange seedling as a parent. The original tree still grew in Avenue Road into the 1970s. Its attractive appearance was valued by Victorian gardeners for dining table displays and its ornamental blossom.
Barnack Orange: Flushed, stripy and russet in appearance; a late sweet dessert apple. Raised in 1904 by W. H. Divers, Head Gardener at Belvoir Castle. A cross between Barnack Beauty and Cox's Orange Pippin. Claimed to have an intense flavour, rich and aromatic.
Belvoir Seedling: Large, flushed, striped and smooth skinned; a late dessert apple but can be used as a cooker. Also raised by W. H. Divers. A cross between Annie Elizabeth and Dumelow's Seedling. Received into the National Collection in 1935. Cooks to a brisk puree.
Dumelow's Seedling: A pale green, mottled and smooth skinned late cooker. Raised in the late 1700s by Richard Dummeller, a farmer at Shakerstone near Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Renamed Wellington in 1819 or 20 and was also known as Normanton Wonder. Cooks to a sharp, strongly flavoured pale cream puree; bakes well. Keeps its acidity and flavour until the spring. Premier Victorian culinary apple; widely grown in gardens and for the market. Recommended for making mincemeat. May Day apple in northern England.
Prince Charles: Has broad red stripes, pinky red flesh over gold; a mid season dessert apple. Raised in 1940-45 by Herbert Robinson, Victoria Nurseries, Burbage. A cross between Lord Lambourne and Cox's Orange Pippin. Rich blend of sugars and acid, crisp and quite juicy.
Queen Caroline: Yellow and smooth skinned; mid season cooker. Raised by nurseryman T. Brown of Measham, Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Named after George IV's wife; tree first fruited in 1820, a year after the Queen's case was in the law courts. A large apple, cooking to a creamy puree, brisk and well-flavoured. Similar to, but not as sharp as Queen.
St Ailred: Flushed, smooth and rather tough skinned mid season dessert apple. It resembles Ellison's orange in appearance. Raised in 1942 at Mount St Bernard Abbey, Coalville. A cross between James Grieve and Ellison's Orange. Tastes like ripe, savoury James Grieve. Return to Home Page.
