Forest Hill is going back to its roots next month, to be transformed into an urban orchard. Forty-seven shops and businesses in Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park will join forces to create an avenue of 70 fruit trees – the Edible High Road – celebrating Forest Hill’s history and its current standing as a hub of community gardening.
A trail map will lead visitors along the route lined with apple, cherry, pear and plum trees, ending in the Horniman Museum’s Gardens at the crest of the hill. Children taking part can also win gardening prizes.
Organised by the Forest Hill Society, in partnership with Lewisham Gardens and Shannon’s Garden Centre, the Edible High Road opens on Saturday 18 May until Sunday 9 June, as part of the Chelsea Fringe Festival, the volunteer-run celebration of plants, gardens and landscapes.
The Forest Hill event is part of a city-wide network of Edible High Roads including Shepherd’s Bush, Kilburn, Chiswick and Kensal Rise. The Horniman Museum and Gardens is also hosting a series of other Chelsea Fringe events including a family fun day and plant sale, compost cookery, guerrilla gardening and much more.
The Edible High Road will be launched by celebrity gardener Matthew Wilson – Channel 4’s ‘Landscape Man’ – at 2pm on Saturday 18 May at Forest Hill Station.
The trail map will be available from Forest Hill Library, the Horniman Museum and online at www.ForestHillSociety.com.
That's the official press release ... but I'd just like to add that any fruit trees shop keepers don't want to keep will find a good home locally at Albion Millennium Green, where we will be extending our community orchard, started in 2010, and where I and others from the Friends of Albion Millennium Green will be conducting tours between 2.00 & 4.00 pm May 18th.
