GARDEN GURU: Who says the old days are always the best? I used to live on Redston Road so quite often passed what used to be public loos set on a little patch of forlorn green, behind the bus stop on the corner with Priory Rd. The loos have been transformed into a children’s nursery and the green patch into Priory Common Orchard Community Gardens. 
It’s brilliant. I just love their stated philosophy: choose plants that are ornamental, useful and robust. Don’t fight nature. Don’t dig (it upsets the balance of the soil). Enjoy yourself.
It all began in April 2011 when the Warner Estate Residents Association (WERA) started planting fruit trees and other edibles on the council-owned grassy area, with permission of course. Everyone is welcome to join the informal gardening sessions on Tuesday mornings. Just turn up, or contact Joyce Rosser tel 020 8347 7684, or Gemma 07806 870505. Plants and materials have been generously donated and people are welcome to harvest herbs fruit and vegetables in a sensitive manner. For anyone interested here’s their plant-list
Fruit and Nuts
Mulberry (Morus) ‘Illinois Everbearing’
A hybrid bred in the USA, fruiting at a very early age (2-3 years) and producing good-flavoured black fruits over a long 2-3 month period. A small rounded tree to 6-8 m (20-27 ft) high. Pot grown. (Morus alba x rubra)
£22.00 from the Agroforestry Research Trust
Planted Aut 2011
Eventual canopy width 5-10m
Needs no / minimal pruning. Develop a set of main branches then prune laterals to 6 leaves in july to develop spurs
Disappointing fruit – may graft with black mulberry
Medlar (Mespilus germanica) ‘Royal’
Has larger fruits, up to 45 mm across. Tree of moderate vigour, more upright than Nottingham. Bare root maiden on hawthorn rootstock. Self-fertile, disease and pest-resistant.
£15.30 from the Agroforestry Research Trust
Planted Aut 2011
Tipbearer, so be careful when pruning.
Goji (Lycium barbarum) ‘Sweet Lifeberry’
A shrub which bears red fruits which are eaten fresh or dried and are very nutritious. Also eaten are the young shoots and leaves, usually cooked as a vegetable (a minty cress flavour) in China. Usually flowers after 2 years, flowers in summer and autumn are followed by the orange-red fruits. They grow in any reasonably well drained soil, making a shrub up to 2.4-3 m (8-10 ft) high. Bears medium sized fruits, 1-2cm, extra sweet, in heavy crops.
£10.00 from the Agroforestry Research Trust
Planted Aut 2011
Eventual canopy width 2m
Minimal pruning. Prune in the early Spring just as the plant breaks into growth
Apple rose (Rosa rugosa)
A very hardy and disease resistant rose, making a bush 1.5-2 m high, slightly spreading. One of the very best for rose hips, which are huge – 25-30 mm across, round, and very good for processing. Flowers are nice in salads etc. Good in hedges too.
5 @ £1.20 from the Agroforestry Research Trust
Planted Aut 2011
Bog myrtle (Myrica gale)
Small nitrogen-fixing shrub to 1.5 m (5 ft) high, forming thickets, with aromatic leaves. Has edible leaves/fruit as flavouring; also medicinal. Likes sun and a moist or wet acid soil; hardy to -40°C. Bare root.
£7.00 from the Agroforestry Research Trust
Planted Aut 2011
Eventual canopy width 1.5m
Tolerates light shade
Nitrogen fixer
Cox Apples
Already on site. Planted 2009?
Spur bearers
Prune in February
Mini Bush Apple ‘Egremont Russet’ on M9 rootstock
Planted Winter 2012
Given by Patrick
Russet dessert apple, compact growth, good blossom frost tolerance, pick late September, pollination group 2, height when mature 2.5m
Braeburn Apple
Planted Summer 2014
Given by Michael
Blackthorn
Planted Spring 2011
Grown from seed by children at North Harringay Primary School
Grafted with greengage
Wild Cherry
Planted Spring 2011
Grown from seed by children at North Harringay Primary School
May graft with tastier cultivar
Crab Apple
Planted Spring 2011
Grown from seed by children at North Harringay Primary School
March 2014 grafted with various apple cultivars
Rowan (Coppiced)
Donated by neighbour
Planted Spring 2011
Coppice in February when it gets too big
March 2014 grafted with various pear cultivars (successfully) & with Sorbus domestica from Clapton Square (unsuccessfully)
Hazel (Coppiced)
Donated by neighbour
Planted Spring 2011
Coppice in February when it gets too big
True Service Tree (Sorbus domestica)
Delicious but rarely planted fruit.
Grown from 2010 seed from St Ann’s Hospital grounds.
Planted Spring 2011
Red Currants
Donated by Queen’s Wood Organic Garden
Planted Spring 2011
Eventual canopy width 1m
Shade tolerant
Jostaberries
(Hybrid of blackcurrant & gooseberry)
From Edible Landscapes London
Planted Spring 2011
Eventual canopy width 1.5m
Almond trees (Prunus dulcis)
Both fairly recent French varieties with hard shelled nuts.
Almond ‘Ferraduel’ on Myran rootstock
Kernels large, flat. Productive, good pollinator.
Almond ‘Ferragnes’ on Myran rootstock
Kernels large, light coloured. Very productive.
£22.00 each from the Agroforestry Research Trust
Planted Autumn 2012
Myran rootstock gives a tree up to 6m high.
If looking from the nursery, Ferraduel is on the left. (nearer road)
Original Ferraduel died, and was replaced
Damson trees (Prunus domestica)
Damson ‘Langley Bullace’ on Pixy rootstock
Fruits October. Flower group C (Self fertile). A damson (not a bullace!) with blue-black large fruits of good flavour. Tree vigorous, upright, heavy cropping.
Damson ‘Merryweather Damson’ on Pixy rootstock
Fruits September-October. Flower group D. Fruit large, dark blue, good flavour. Reliable heavy cropper, also used cooked.
£18.70 each from the Agroforestry Research Trust
Planted Autumn 2012
Pixy gives bushes 2.7-3.6 m high.
If looking from the nursery, Merryweather is on the left.
Despite their reputation for robustness, these damsons have suffered from pests & diseases so far.
Cornelian cherries (Cornus mas)
A small tree/ large shrub (Cornus mas) from Central and Southern Europe, quite at home in Britain. The cherry-like fruits are edible (raw, cooked or dried) with a plum flavour when fully ripe; flowers are used as a flavouring and seeds have been used to make a coffee. Tolerates deep shade, though fruits best in sun; hardy to -23°C. Best fruiting is by cross pollination with a different selection. Price: £19.20
Planted Autumn 2012
Cornelian Cherry ‘Gourmet’
Bears large, bright red, slightly pear-liked fruits and the sweetest taste amongst all cultivars. Tree healthy and robust. Grafted plants.
Cornelian Cherry ‘Yellow’
Bears good sized yellow fruits which are less likely to be taken by birds. Originates from the Ukraine.
‘Yellow’ has been very disappointing… original tree died, as did replacement the following year.
‘Gourmet’ finally bore about 3 fruit in 2014.
Don’t bother with this species again!
Other perennials
(Donated)
Lemon Balm, Mint, Turkish Rocket, Wild Rocket, Chives, various Perennial Onions, Comfrey, Sweet Cicely, Marjoram, Fennel, Sorrel, Ox-eye Daisies, Campanulas, Globe Artichokes, Day Lilies, Nettles, Raspberries, Blackcurrants
Self-seeding annuals & biennials
(Donated)
Nasturtium, Honesty, Rocket, Land cress
