London has just gained its first Tiny Orchard – in Hendon.
The planting day on 17 December marked a key milestone for a new partnership between FUNKIN Cocktails and Earthwatch Europe, supported by The Orchard Project and Barnet Council, and inspired by the local community.
The Tiny Orchard will provide a new community space for people to come together, enjoy nature, learn new skills and grow food for years to come, as well creating new habitats for wildlife. It includes a mix of fruit trees and bushes which have been specially selected for this site, including species designed to make the space more climate resilient.
It’s part of Earthwatch’s Nature in Cities work, which aims to create greener, healthier cities and improve access to nature-rich spaces to empower people of all ages, from all walks of life, to connect with nature and take action for our planet.
The local community has been actively involved in creating the Tiny Orchard through a series of events that we have been helping to run ahead of the planting day, including a community design workshop in the summer, and maintenance training and site preparation in the autumn. More events are planned in the new year to celebrate this great new space and add some more plants.
Kath Rosen, CEO, The Orchard Project, said: “We know first hand just how important orchards can be to a local community, not just by providing easy access to fresh, free fruit, but also in creating more vital pockets of green spaces in our cities. This Tiny Orchard shows that you don’t need many trees to make a difference, and we look forward to helping this orchard grow in years to come.”
Monica Esposito-West, Business Development Manager at Earthwatch said: “We are thrilled to welcome FUNKIN as a partner and to work together with them, The Orchard Project, Barnet Council, and the local community on such a creative project. This Tiny Orchard is the first of its kind as part of our Nature in Cities work, and will bring both environmental and social benefits to Hendon.”
Cllr Alan Schneiderman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “We’re delighted to support this project as part of our plan to make Barnet net zero by 2042. We care about people, our places, and the planet – and this will help all three. As well as giving everyone a great place to go and relax, it’ll help boost biodiversity, make our air cleaner and help us tackle the climate emergency. I can’t wait to see this garden grow and evolve over the years to come.”