I spent yesterday morning leading a task to fruit trees and an edible hedge at Wensum View Park in Norwich.

I wrote about the park in March last year, when we’d just planted some bulbs.

Since then, Norwich City Council have held a public consultation and, following favourable comments to the proposals to establish a community garden in the park, work to transform the space began this autumn.

So far there have been two gardening tasks, which I have led.

In early October we created a herb bed and planted crocus bulbs. Then yesterday about twenty-five of us planted fruit trees and an edible hedge. A Norfolk Master Gardener Grant for £45 went towards the cost of the fruit trees and the 105 small saplings for the edible hedge were supplied by the Woodland Trust. The rest of the money came from the Norfolk Community Foundation.

We planted nine fruit trees: single trees of Apples “Golden Noble” and “Discovery”, Figs “Brunswick” and “Brown Turkey”, Medlar “Nottingham” and Quince “Champion”, two Plums “River’s Early Prolific” and an unnamed variety of Plum, which was donated by a local resident. The hedge consists of Elder, Dog Rose, Blackthorn, Hazel and Crab Apple and will add to the edible harvest once it is established.

Our next task, planned for January or February 2014, will be to build a raised bed for planting herbs and vegetables.

Wensum View Park Community Garden Group have now signed up for Master Gardener support and I will continue to provide them with free growing advice for the next twelve months.

Wensum View Park (also known as “Wensum View play area”) is located on Dereham Road in Norwich. Its entrance is between numbers 319 and 321 Dereham Road and it is open to all, free of charge, every day during daylight hours.

Tree planting at Wensum View Park

The fruit trees and hedge