Tower and Town, November 2026 (view the full edition)Marlborough: The Town In An OrchardIt was in 2010 that the idea of a town in an orchard was presented to the Town council, by Philippa Davenport. She collected a like-minded group to realise the vision of a town among fruit trees. They were determined to do something about the decline in native orchards and to make Marlborough a better place to live. They gained support of the town council, local people, community groups and businesses, raising funds to buy Wiltshire varieties of fruit, mainly apple trees, and set about identifying sites for planting . In 2010 the first trees were planted in the Jubilee Gardens and today there are nearly 100 mature trees for people to enjoy. Other sites are Marlborough Common, Jubilee Field Manton, Farrar Drive, Wye House, Waitrose car Park, St Peter’s Church.... How do we benefit from this orchard? First, biodiversity. Orchards attract birds and we all know that garden birds are threatened and declining. By gradually expanding our orchard we hope to reverse this trend. People are now coming to understand that insects are not just a good thing to have but essential to life so that anything we can do to protect and enhance them is a good thing. Trees are an important part of town planning to alleviate the impact of extreme heat. An expanding orchard throughout the town will help this. It is an easy low cost part of the solution and can make the town a pleasant place even on hotter days. The community orchard is spread at sites throughout the town and is cared for by volunteers. Twice a year we get together to enjoy a morning of pruning and maintenance. Everyone is welcome, and training is given, so please do join the team for a fun get together. Contact Gerald (via info@transitionmarlborough.org ). With ever more complex food supply chains coming under pressure we are lucky to be able to pick our own organic fruit straight from the tree. To visit a small orchard in your lunch break, or after school, and pick an apple can enhance an autumn day. Last year we collected masses of apples and got them juiced, some were sold to recoup the costs and some given away at the Community fridge. Others were harvested for home use. Last year we also developed four walks around Marlborough, connecting orchard sites. See over the page - or TM website It is much more appealing to shop in a town where there are trees. We all know how important green spaces are for health and wellbeing. A town full of apple blossom in Spring is something to be proud of. Transition Marlborough has now taken over responsibility for the orchard and works with the town council and all those interested to develop Marlborough as a Town in an Orchard.   Rachel Rosedale and Sophie Lowe |