Apples & Orchards in Sussex came about in response to the current challenges facing people who eat fruit as well as fruit growers
- the grubbing up of commercial orchards the scarcity of heritage varieties of apples associated with Sussex the domination of imports in shops & the loss of domestic skills such as cooking with apples. After years of creating community orchards we wanted to find out more about our fruit-growing past & to look at ways in which people today might contribute to future orchards
- both as a treasured landscape feature & as a source of fruit. Prof. Brian Short has trawled the archives of the Kew Gardens the Royal Horticultural Society & museums to build up a detailed picture of how orchards originally came to England & to Sussex. Oral historians have gathered the stories of people across Sussex with inside knowledge of fruit-growing in our past & present & together we point practical ways to a rich fruit-growing future. Contains the first definitive list & photos of Sussex apple varieties Illustrations from historic archives Watercolours by botanical artist Nicky Ashford Maps of Sussex showing historical orchard distribution Interviews with growers past & present Information on where to learn orchard skills & where to buy local fruit & trees How to contribute to a more durable & nature-friendly fruit-growing future