To reflect the historic orchards at Fulham Palace that were grown on the north and south side of the Palace grounds, an apple orchard has been planted in the north east quadrant of the Walled Garden. The orchard and archaeological dig was funded by Gordon and Paula Edington and other donors. Gordon is the Property Trustee and Deputy Chairman of Fulham Palace. We are very grateful for their generosity.
The new orchard has an orthogonal layout which reflects the historical layout of the Walled Garden and allows good circulation for the public. Forty-seven apple trees are being planted and arranged by an overriding transatlantic apple theme. North America has no native domestic apples and so we are celebrating Fulham Palace’s North American botanical links by growing apples that were sent over to America from England in the mid 17th century.
•Two quadrants will contain transatlantic varieties, those which were grown in England and Europe and sent to North America from the mid 1600s. There are 23 trees of different varieties across these two quadrants (with one deducted due to the location of the bee hives).
•One quadrant will contain varieties recommended by George London and Henry Wise. George London was Head Gardener at Fulham Palace to Bishop Compton in the late 1600s and most of these varieties were sent over to America.
•The final quadrant will have two themes: six varieties of apples that once growing in America, were bred there and then later sent back to England and apple trees that we know the Bishop grew here in the 1860s and 1870s.
