Pitton Community Orchard & Nature Reserve Working Party 10.30 to 12.30 Saturday 28th June 2025 Many thanks to the group of volunteers who came along last Saturday to help in the new Pitton Community Orchard & Nature Reserve. A lot was achieved in a couple of hours but there is still a bit more we… Continue reading Working Party – 28th June
Author: Fred
Bench Installed
A bench has now been installed in the newly opened Community Orchard & Nature Reserve. We are extremely grateful to the Coronation Living Heritage Orchard fund for providing the funds to purchase the bench. It is located just inside the gate and is a great spot to relax in the tranquility of the orchard &… Continue reading Bench Installed
Tree Fairies
If you have wandered by the new Community Orchard & Nature Reserve recently you will have spotted three Tree Fairies who have taken up residence. This is our entry in the annual Pitton Carnival Scarecrow Competition. Pitton Carnival is on 5th July and we will have a stall where you can have a chat to… Continue reading Tree Fairies
Working Party 21st June 2025
We are extremely grateful to the team of volunteers who can along for a couple of hours on 21st June to help with tasks in the new Community Orchard & Nature Reserve. The aim was to prevent some of the thistles from seeding and spreading and also to rake the site to remove any remaining… Continue reading Working Party 21st June 2025
Insects in The Close
On Saturday 8th June 2025 Hannah Sankey conducted a survey of insects in The Close. Hannah spotted the following; Asian Ladybird larvae; Common Marble moth; Fourteen-spotted Ladybird larvae; Common nettle-tap moth; Three spotted nettle bug; Cricket-bat orbweaver spider, hoverflies, shield bug nymph and aphids. We are very grateful to Hannah for conducting the survey and… Continue reading Insects in The Close
Community Orchard Watering Schedule
We are seeking volunteers to join the rota for watering the fruit trees in the Community Orchard & Nature Reserve. Each tree requires 10 litres of water per week and there are twelve trees on the site. There is water and watering cans on the site and with two people it takes around 30 minutes. … Continue reading Community Orchard Watering Schedule
Hay Making
If you have visited the Community Orchard & Nature Reserve recently you will have noticed how much the grass and thistles have grown. In order to start preparing the area for reseeding with wild flowers and less vigorous grasses we need to reduce the fertility in the soil. An effective way of doing this is… Continue reading Hay Making
Lyme Disease Awareness
One of the hazards of living in the countryside is the risk of being bitten by a tick some of which carry Lyme disease. Ticks are often, but not always, picked up by walking through long grass or sitting on the ground. The Lyme disease awareness charity Lyme Disease UK has useful guidance on how… Continue reading Lyme Disease Awareness
Community Orchard & Nature Reserve Open
We are pleased to announce that the Community Orchard & Nature Reserve is now open. The Parish Council made the following announcement today: “At the end of last year the Parish Council and Wiltshire Council agreed Heads of Terms on the transfer of approximately an acre of land at the end of Above Hedges to… Continue reading Community Orchard & Nature Reserve Open
Pitton to Firsdown Permissive Bridleway
On Friday 23rd May Wiltshire Council opened the new permissive bridleway which links Pitton to Firsdown. This is a fantastic addition to the local network of public rights of way. The permissive path runs alongside the new Community Orchard and Nature Reserve so we hope visitors will pop in to enjoy the site. At this… Continue reading Pitton to Firsdown Permissive Bridleway