Winter Pruning at Swan Barn and Watts Gallery Orchard sites

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On 15th February, COPSE and the National Trust Ranger Dee Durham pruned the Swan Barn Orchard with 20 to 25 National Trust and Transition volunteers. In 2022 we carried out restorative pruning after 3-years of no pruning during Covid, with many trees this year only requiring a light prune. A ‘Schoolmaster’ espalier was planted near the Orchard House and a ‘Major’ cider apple planted in the nearby orchard. ​

​The following week (22nd February) we conducted a pruning and maintenance event with Chris Sharples and the Watts Gallery heritage gardening team, followed on by an impromptu Wassail and toasting the orchard!