Apple Day
21st October 2011
The tradition of growing apple trees is celebrated in the annual Apple Day events in October and this year members of the British Plant Nursery Guide, have joined forces to run a range of talks by experts, tasting sessions and children’s events to encourage more people to grow their own fruit, especially some of the old varieties.
4th – 5th October: RHS Autumn Harvest Show, London
The best of the season's harvest is celebrated at this year's RHS London Autumn Show in the heart of London. There will be a host of activities and displays including woodland scenes, competitions and book readings, making it an enjoyable experience for all. The British Plant Nursery Guide will be promoting Apple Day with a nostalgic stand featuring our Morris Minor.
13th October: Thornhayes Nursery, Devon
Tree expert, Kevin Croucher, will be hosting a 'Talk & Tasting' event at the nursery. The 33 acre tree nursery offer an excellent range of apples and other fruit trees and with Kevins expertise he will make sure you have the right tree for your situation and needs. Cost £12 - There are limited spaces so booking is essential. Kevin is also doing a talk in October at RHS Rosemoor for their Apple Day celebrations.
17th – 23rd October: Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, Cornwall
New Visitors Centre - Special Menus in the Café- ‘ An apple a Day’- each day a different apple dessert eg Apple Pie, Eve’s Pudding, Apple Charlotte, Tarte Tatin, Baked Apples, Apple and Walnut Strudel and main courses using local cider eg Pork in Cider Sauce, Cheese and Apple Soup , Apple Cake etc.
Saturday 22nd will be special ‘Apple Fun Day ‘- Colouring Competition, Apple Treasure Trail, Apple Bobbing and lots more activities for kids.
Lecture lunch and talk on Apple Trees- ‘Old Versus New’ – Jim Stephens and other guest speakers looking at how the older heritage varieties measure up to the ‘new kids on the block’. What can Duchy Nursery do as far as advice, support, choice etc when you are in the market for planting apples. Visit their new mini Orchard for inspiration.
Friday 21st October: Coolings, Kent
Talk and apple tasting – at 9.30am with experts from Brogdale, Home of National Fruit Collection, with 50 varieties of apple to taste.
Learn how to press your own apples at 2pm - With experts from award winning Owlet Fruit Juices, from the Weald of Kent.
Coffee Shop - A selection of apple based homemade cakes and pudding will be available.
Buying apple trees - A limited range of Apple trees will be in stock on the day however customers can pre order their trees from the full range which is available from early December.
21- 23rd October: Perrywood, Essex/Suffolk Borders
To celebrate the quintessentially English apple they will be running a series of events from October 21 to 23. Family run nursery Perrywood, stock more than 20 varieties of apples including those suitable for desserts, cooking and for growing in smaller spaces.
More unusual varieties include:
Howgate Wonder, a very large cooking apple
Pitmaster Pineapple – an old English Russet from the West Midlands, which crops heavily and has a pineapple like flavour
Ashmeads Kernal – an old variety originating from the 1700. Has a unique peardrop flavour
Court of Wick – introduced in 1790 from Yatton, Somerset. Has a crisp yellow flesh
‘Try before you buy’ tasting & Match-making service – Visitors will have the chance to taste some of the old fashioned and modern apples available from the nursery with expert advice to help visitors find the best apple varieties for their garden, whether they are looking for a compact or cordoned specimen or a large heavy cropper for an orchard setting they’ll find the apple tree for you!
Coffee Shop – Special apple dishes will be available in the coffee shop
Throughout October: Wykeham Mature Plants, Yorkshire
During October they will be taking pre orders of the best known apple varieties which crop reliably in the North of England, such as Tydimans Early, Laxtons Superb, Ellisons Orange, Court Perdu, Bramley, Melrose, Elstar, Beauty of Bath (despite the name, we know from experience that it will crop well in the North), James Grieve, and Elstar.
Wykeham offer a good range of mature fruit trees (5-6 yr old) grown on vigorous root stocks which can create a good sized tree in your garden in a matter of years. The perfect solution to create a large specimen for a feature in your garden or to act as screening with trees reaching up to 20 feet.
Location: Throughout the UK
Telephone: 07753 604296
Visit: Apple Day