RHS Garden Wisley is inviting visitors to ‘forage for free’ and help themselves to apples from the orchards to celebrate the superb harvest
RHS Garden Wisley has had a bumper harvest of apples this year and is inviting visitors to come and ‘forage for free’ in the Orchard and share in the glut of autumn fruit. All members and visitors need to do is bring a bag, turn up between Wednesday 30th October and Sunday 3rd November (10am-4pm) and help themselves for free*.
The event is a one off chance to take home some of the 600 different cultivars of apples that are grown at Wisley. These include cultivars like Flower of Kent, which grew in Sir Isaac Newton’s garden; Old Pearmain which has been grown in Britain since 1200 AD and the Codling, which is mentioned in Shakespeare.
The domestic apple harvest this year has benefitted from near perfect weather conditions. A long cold winter, warm summer and cold autumn nights have combined to produce a large crop with a rosy appearance and superior taste. RHS Garden Wisley stores its apples, holds visitor tastings, picking days and supplies a huge quantity to the onsite restaurant and cafés but this year there have just been too many.
Visitors are invited to take their fill.
*Apples are free, subject to availability. Normal garden entry applies (members free)
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