“The Love Trees Cornwall funding will help to fund a new project which is part of our development of a Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre. The funding will contribute towards the creation of a sensory garden. The area will be landscaped and include a fully accessible path through a newly planted wooded area which will include features, surfaces, objects and plants to stimulate the senses through touch, sight, scent, taste and hearing.”
Green Creations
ENCOURAGING WELLNESS GARDEN
humphry davy school
Orchard at Pendeen School
Created by Sustainable Pendeen
A carefully thought through project involving preliminary land clearance and the choice of specific fruit and nut trees to suit this exposed site, such as apple, crab apple, damson, elder, hazel - with rowan, wild raspberries and wild currants. Bulbs and native herbs like sorrel and mint, and wild flowers which are particularly insect friendly were added around the tree trunks for children to observe, eat and to enjoy.
Children, especially those not used to gardening or wild places, receive practical, hands on experience looking after these trees and watching them grow as they do themselves. This orchard will link them into nature as they absorb different stages of tree care and see food gradually growing - from blossom to belly!
Like a pocket forest, this will be a perfect place for outdoor forest school lessons in the fresh air, playing in nature and generating an intuitive love of trees.
Good planning, emotional commitment and onsite collaboration have resulted in a beautiful little school orchard. Generous professionals including helpful gardeners, a professional sign writer and an expert baker have contributed for free to this community project led by a dedicated teacher and two eco-activists.y School Plan for a Wellness Garden
Full details on www.centreofpendeen.co.uk see ‘Sustainable Pendeen’, ‘Pendeen School Orchard’
Celebrations highlighting the young Green Team’s heartfelt love of nature, and interest in working for the environment in the future were clearly expressed to inspire the rest of the school.
Combining optimism and happy frivolity they delivered their speeches with vigour, wearing appropriate headgear decorated with leaves, apples, trees and green fingers!
one of the first apple trees to blossom
Paul Community Orchard
“The Cholera field” in the heart of Paul village came about after cholera struck this area of Cornwall in 1832. One hundred and fifty victims, including thirty children, all mainly from Newlyn and Madron were buried in in the field in 1832. Since then it has remained little used, with the exception of a memorial oak tree planted in 2022 by the Association of Jewish Refugees. This was to commemorate 80 years since children of the Jewish Free School were evacuated from London in 1940 and welcomed into the parish.
Once we heard about the “Forest for Cornwall” we knew we had found a purpose, a way to rejuvenate a piece of land in the heart of the village, stigmatised by its history and name. The initiative, instigated by Cornwall Council aims to provide to communities large and small free trees to plant and so enhance their surroundings, increase awareness of their environment and to educate future generations the importance of protecting our wildlife and their habitats. This also includes providing fruit trees to create orchards where possible. Surrounded by walls in the heart of the village, the cholera field is ideally suited for the latter and will become the “Paul Parish Orchard”.
“Forest for Cornwall” will assess the suitability of any proposal, provide guidance including links to other services such as “Budding Nature” who provide guidance on ecology, biodiversity and education opportunities for children. Our aim is to create wild areas for wild flowers and wildlife alike in and around a traditional orchard setting. We have organised a volunteer workgroup to help prepare and plant our fruit trees with the guidance of “resilient Orchards” of Cornwall. This will set the way to produce a community minded place of learning, relaxing in a natural environment and eventually sharing the fruits of our labour.
We have had a most positive response from the villagers and has roused enthusiasm and ideas from painting nature classes, Juice making, wassailing, wellness and stress relief. There is good cause for optimism and given time we can make this a great addition to the village that people will value and enjoy.
This is an excellent example of the church reaching out to and working in partnership with the community and will help us aim for the Silver Award in the Eco Church Scheme. Please see below an image of the field before it is transformed into a Community orchard.
original site before first planting of the orchard
future orchard site highlighted within village on left of image
first orchard plan
Paul Community Orchard has involved Mousehole Primary School from the start. All the children came up to plant the original fruit trees. Children are also involved in St. Ives Community Orchard, where home schooling groups enjoy picking apples and all the crafts and activities associated with seasonal change, such as solstice celebrations. Newquay Community Orchard, which has two permanent classrooms and a café, promote educational links as with their horticultural project called ‘Growing Futures’.