Historic Apple Tree planting at Lytham Hall begins new era of progress

The start of a new era of tree planting was celebrated at Lytham Hall on Saturday 6 December.

The trees had been donated by Phil Rainford, a member of the Northern Fruit Group. Phil gave an excellent talk on Historic Apples of the North to the Ground and Garden Volunteers before presenting three trees which were planted against the Buttress Wall in the South Prospect Garden. The varieties represent the start of a much larger Historic Orchard and Fruit collection which will be planted along the wall, in order of the century in which they originated. Ruth Thurnhill from Lancashire Gardens Trust attended to highlight the history of the Lytham Hall parkland.

John Miller, Chief Executive of Heritage Trust for the North West, who manage Lytham Hall on behalf of Lytham Town Trust, said ‘This is a very important day in the long journey we have been on since 1997 and demonstrates our commitment to the restoration project. We are planting for future generations. It seems fitting that these northern varieties of apple include one bred at the County Institute of agriculture in 1914, and here today, a hundred years later its importance is so significant for the past, the present and the future.’

The varieties planted were:-

Sowman’s seedling, Hutton 1914; Jenny Lind, Catforth 1880 and Duke of Devonshire, Holker 1835. They were planted by John Miller, Phil Rainford and Jean Ansell, one of our volunteers at Lytham Hall.