Donkey Lane Community Orchard - Plants growing in the Orchard

Some five years ago, if you went for a walk up Donkey Lane and crossed the railway line, you would have noticed a wild scrubby patch of land on your right. A quick glance would have shown thick brambles and ivy growing around some struggling trees, and dense undergrowth dominated by nettles. In April there was a scattering of blossom to see, and then in autumn glimpses of apples in the higher branches, revealing that someone once planted apple trees there.

Since Greening Chinnor began to selectively clear the area in 2019, it has been a revelation to see just how many species of plants have sprung up from seeds which have been resting in the dark soil. Seeds can lie dormant for many decades until the ground is disturbed and light is let in. It is very likely that at least some of the plants we find there today, are descendants of plants which were growing there when people lived on the site.

We carried out monthly surveys of the flowering plants between May and September last year, 2021. A flowering plant does not have to be in flower to be counted but it is one which will flower at some time. The following article will give you an idea of the range of plant species that we counted, which added up to 75 in all. In addition, a different survey had been made earlier in March, just looking at the non-flowering plants. This revealed some 34 species, which were mosses, lichens, fungi and one liverwort. So overall the flora found so far comprises more than 100 species, a quite astounding number.

Firstly, the trees and shrubs. Besides some 20 Apples and a Plum, we have ... Read more

Donkey Lane Community Orchard - The Chinnor Plum

 Have you heard of the mythical Chinnor plum? Does it really exist? Read on to find out.

2013 Sketch Map of the fruit trees at orchard

In 2013 a formal survey of Donkey Lane Community Orchard by Derek Tolman of Bernwode Fruit Trees, identified 20 apple trees and a single plum tree. These were marked on a sketch map of the site and scion wood was collected to propagate new trees. This was done in an attempt to protect the genetic lineage of the traditional varieties growing on site. 

Experts later confirmed that the plum was unique and named it the Chinnor plum. 

Move on to early 2019 when we started work clearing the orchard. It was apparent that the overall site was much more overgrown than it was in 2013 and it was difficult to confirm whether all of the trees on the sketch map still existed.

As our clearing of the decades of rubbish, brambles and ivy progressed we discovered not one but two plum trees. They were in a pretty sorry state and the trunks needed support. Once the trees were exposed to the light, we were delighted to see extensive white blossom and much to our surprise similar blossom on a tree a short distance away. Following the line of the trees already found and knowing that plums tend to spread by sending out suckers we were able to find another two juvenile examples. So, in one season our stock of the Chinnor plum had multiplied from one to five. Read more...