Community orchard
Our first community orchard took root in early 2026 - transforming a once-neglected patch of land into a thriving green space for everyone to enjoy!
Located at Lords Mead in west Chippenham, it’s a place where fruit grows freely for local residents, wildlife can flourish, and community can connect.
Planting for future generations
Designed to be low-maintenance and long-lasting, Lords Mead community orchard will provide fresh, local fruit for generations to come and a boost to our local biodiversity! More than just trees, the orchard is a shared community space for residents, schools and community groups to learn about nature, growing food and sustainability - or to simply just pause and unwind.
Lords Mead orchard was made possible thanks to a land agreement with Wiltshire Council and Chippenham Town Council, a Climate and Ecological Grant from Chippenham Town Council and a generous donation of 30 fruit trees from the charity Freely Fruity.
It was planted on 28 March 2026 by more than 40 awesome local residents, all under the expert instruction of the Freely Fruity team. It was officially opened by the Deputy Mayor of Chippenham, Councillor Matthew Bragg. In 2026 we’re planning to install new rainwater harvesting to help with watering the trees, a new gate and new signage to provide essential information about what’s on the site.
Together, we’re growing something rather special for Chippenham!
What’s growing at the orchard?
We’re growing a wide variety of delicious fruit trees including apple, damson, gage, medlar, pear, plum and quince. You’ll find a wonderful mix of traditional favourites and lesser-known heritage varieties, helping to preserve rarer types and build a resilient local food source. There are also naturally occurring (and well established) blackthorns and brambles all around the site that fruit profusely.
Fruit tree varieties
Apple
Bardsey, Beauty of Bath, Bladon Pippin, Blenheim Orange, Bramley’s Seedling, Brownless Russet, Dabinett, Egremont Russet, Herefordshire Russet, Howgate Wonder, James Grieve, Kidd’s Orange, Lord Lambourne, Laxton’s Superb, Newton Wonder, Spartan, Three Counties & Tom Putt.
Damson
Merryweather & Shepherds Bullace
Gage
Cambridge & Old Greengage
Medlar
Nottingham
Pear
Beurre Hardy & Doyenne du Comice
Plum
Czar & Warwickshire Drooper
Quince
Isfahan & Vranja
Wildflowers & grasses
It’s not just trees at the orchard - there are over 30 different species of wildflowers, grasses and plants, 27 of which are positive indicators of good quality grassland!
We let the grass and wildflowers flourish around the trees, managed with a cut once a year around September after the flowers have seeded. If you see the orchard looking wild during summer, this is intentional and a really valuable habitat for wildflowers, pollinators and insects, some of which are pictured below!
Species include: Agrimony, Annual Meadow Grass, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Black Medic, Broad Leaved Plantain, Charlock, Cocks Foot Grass, Cleavers, Common Vetch, Cut Leafed Geranium, False Oat Grass, Field Bindweed, Foxtail Grass, Goats Beard, Hairy St John’s Wort, Knapweed (Common & Slender), Meadow Buttercup, Meadow Cranesbill, Meadow Vetchling, Nettles, Ox Eye Daisy, Pyramidal Orchids, Ragwort, Red Clover, Ribwort Plantain, Rye Grass, Self Heal, Spiked Rush, Wild Carrot, Yarrow.
Come along and get involved!
Everyone is welcome to visit the orchard at Lords Mead - it’s located on public land and you’ll find the entrance on Lords Mead road, directly opposite St Peter’s Church. Drop by to enjoy the space and see how our fruit trees and the local wildlife is doing!
We’re actively engaging residents and local school children with planting days, seasonal maintenance meet-ups and annual harvest events, to foster a sense of ownership and pride in the community space. Check our events page or follow our Facebook page for updates.
If you’re a local resident or community group that would like to get involved with maintaining the orchard, or you have a question to ask our team, please contact us using the form at the bottom of this page.
Get in touch
Got a question about our community orchard?
Send us a note and we’ll get back to you soon.
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