Since 1970, 67% of British orchards have disappeared

Kent, the Garden of England, has lost 85% in the last 50 years

Herefordshire, once a forest of fruit trees, has lost 90%

In 1987, there were 1500 apple growers; in 2003, there were only 500

Only 38% of apples sold in the UK are grown here

There are 2300 British apple varieties… but only 30 are grown commercially

Agricultural subsidies for cash-crops and supermarket demands for cosmetic perfection have pushed many apple varieties to the brink of extinction

Every apple tells a story about a place and its people; if we throw it away because of cheap imports, then we erode the sheer richness of our culture

Trees in traditional orchards can grow 50 feet high and contain twice as much bird life compared to commercial orchards

The untouched grasslands in traditional orchards are perfect habitats for rare meadow saffron and orchids

In 1990, ‘Common Ground’ launched Apple Day, an annual celebration of UK apple heritage, leading to the rediscovery of several varieties and the establishment of 200 community orchards…