Luton Orchards

Had a lovely afternoon making orchard tree labels with volunteers at Hat Works today.

With help from The Wildlife Trusts BCN and Lugus Ceramics. MLuton Council for by Luton Council through the Coronation Living Heritage Fund.

They’re for Wigmore Valley Peace Garden Orchard, where students from Barnfield College will help put them up soon.

Great day carefully pruning apple and pear trees at Bide-a-While yesterday. Working with my colleague Sal and many others this winter to care for orchards across town. Thanks to coronation funding and .

What a Wassail we've had! Thank you to all the volunteers who made cake, learnt speeches, dressed up, beat drums, sang songs, made costumes, stewed mulled apple juice, lent us the silver wassailing cup, helped organise and brought their good spirit! Thank you also to everyone who turned up on a drizzly January afternoon, brought along family, friends and colleagues, hung toast into trees and joined the jolly ceremony. Waes Hael!

We're celebrating this Saturday - 2 to 3pm with a mini-wassail in People's Park. If you'd like to come along, message us on facebook or, email [email protected]. Full details at: https://www.lutonorchards.org/get-involved/wassail

Visit us at the High Town Christmas market tomorrow Saturday 6 December. Get your hands on a few bottles of our delicious apple juice. From midday to 4pm, you’ll find us on High Town Road near Burr Square. Don’t miss the lights switch on at 4:15!

Hooray, our Mini Apple Day featured in the Zero Carbon Luton newsletter this week:

Zero Carbon Luton | Substack Climate and environment news for Luton. Click to read Zero Carbon Luton, a Substack publication. Launched 4 years ago.

My talk, coming up on Sunday 23 November - open to non-members.

Next talk about Luton orchards.

I'll be giving a free Zoom talk on Sunday 23 November 2025 for the Bedfordshire Gardens Trust
Researching the past and securing the future of orchards in Luton
Star at 4.00pm login in from 3.45pm

The community gardeners from Edible High Town worked hard to keep the orchard in their local park alive – but it could seem like an uphill struggle at times. We wondered how people in other areas look after their community orchards and started investigating.... From there and a visit to my first apple day in Tring, the Luton Orchards project idea came into being. Join project coordinator Konni Deppe on a journey through historical maps, photographs and stories of Luton’s orchards from the past until today.
For Members and Non-Members of the Bedfordshire Gardens Trust
To take part, email: [email protected]

Our delicious apple juice will be available at the stall at the High Town Christmas Market on Saturday, 6 December. These bottles make great gifts, but don't forget to save one for yourself ;-).