Here’s a chance to really boost your confidence and skills in how to prune and look after fruit trees at the amazing Water Works orchard with 225 trees. Plenty chance to practice and hone those skills! This is a 2 part workshop: graft your own tree in the afternoon.

Book your tickets here.

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FRIDAY 27th March – 10am – 4pm

11 – 4 Guided pruning practice

1 – 2 Lunch

2- 3 Grafting workshop

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YOUR TRAINERS:

The workshop will be led by our London-based orchard expert Lewis McNeill. Lewis has been teaching practical orchard skills and theory for a decade at orchards all across the UK. Lewis is a favourite here in Glasgow, and he has been coming up annually in March for the last four years. Lewis brings a real insight into the biology behind the practice, so that as you learn just not what to do but why, and how the tree will react to the treatment that you give it.

Fergus has been working on community orchards for the last 7 years, working alongside Scotland’s foremost orchard experts as well as attending regular orchard practitioner training events across the UK.

Under their supervision and guidance you’ll quickly learn to assess the trees and make cuts.

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THE VENUE

The Water Works orchard was planted in 2016 and consists of 200+ fruit trees. Mostly apple but also plum and cherry. The Water Works was once a waste water treatment works but was abandoned in the 90s. It then naturally regenerated as a woodland. In 2014 the community received a boost of funding to establish it as a managed nature site – it is a real haven. The site runs along the Levern water and is within an apple’s throw of the Glasgow city boundary.

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Hot drinks, refreshments will be provided. PLEASE BRING A PACKED LUNCH IF YOU ARE STAYING FOR THE WHOLE DAY

This pay-as-you-feel workshop is provided to our network of orchard leaders across Greater Glasgow and the general public. Please be generous as this continues our work of planting and restoring community orchards across the UK.

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Please wear appropriate clothing as we’ll still make progress in light rain/drizzle and/or cold.

All tools and instruction will be provided although feel free to bring a favourite pair of sharp secateurs.

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How to get there

Water Works, East side of A736 off Blackbyres Roundabout, G78 1DT Map here.

Getting to the orchard is fairly straightforward. It is just off the A736 Glasgow-Irvine road, just north of Barrhead, at the Blackbyres roundabout. If you are coming from Glasgow it is the first turning on the left on that roundabout – and there is parking space on that same side road if you are coming by car. If arriving by public transport you can take the X44 bus to Irvine, leaving from Stance 8 at Buchanan Bus Station, or by train from Glasgow Central to Barrhead and a 15 min Walk. There will be a lift from South Side Glasgow if you want a lift – contact Fergus Walker fergus@theorchardproject.org.uk

Please arrive 10.45 for 11 start.

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This event is funded by the MacRobert Trust