THIS sign in the Riverside, not far from Nantwich town centre, says it all.

   It invites local people to sample the fruit in the Community Orchard when it ripens around mid September.

  The orchard is In Nantwich Riverside, accessed by a gap in the houses on the River Weaver side of Shrewbridge Road. This leads to a footpath that goes past the orchard on its way across a river bridge leading to Queen's drive. The orchard is on the left of the path. 

   It is a community orchard in two senses. It is for the benefit of the community, and has been planted and tended by different groups from the community.

   From a humble beginning of just four trees in 2008 - planted by Honorary Alderman Doug Butterill (one-time Chairman of Nantwich in Bloom) and pupils of Weaver Primary School - the orchard has been further

developed over the years. Nine apple trees were planted by Cheshire Landscape Trust in 2011, with nine more the following year.

   In 2013, a special ceremony was held to commemorate local orchard fruit expert, Tony Gentil, whose idea the orchard was. A plaque in his memory was unveiled by his widow, Elizabeth.

  Tony was one of the country's leading experts on fruit trees. The ceremony was held in February 2013, a year after Tony died.

   Tony, a lecturer at Reasheath College, was formerly deputy head of the college's horticulture department and later head of business and management.

   Trees were planted in the orchard in stages over the years and the trees currently include 14 dessert apples and nine cooking varieties. There are also two named pippins and six unnamed apple trees.

   These are from the fruit tree nursery that was run

by Tony and Elizabeth - Briarfields Orchards, at their home in Aston, Nantwich. Sadly, the business is no longer operating.

   If that is not enough, there are two pear trees and one damson tree.

   Since then Nantwich in Bloom - the committee behind the award-winning flower displays in town - have sourced many local Cheshire varieties of fruit trees.

   Students from Reaseheath College were involved in planting more trees in 2015.

Update:  More pear trees and damson trees - including old Cheshire varieties - followed and in 2022 there are 46 fruit trees.

l Read the full feature on the commemoration ceremony here.

Nantwich in Bloom index (including the newly planted Lakeside Community Copse).