Future plans and inspiration

Community spirit
I met a very nice neighbour on Monday, he and his wife live opposite the garden and he walked across Boundfield Road to ask what I was up to. Guess what, I was still trying to clear the fence! The following day I was invited to his garden where he presented me with tomato, carrot and cabbage plants. As there is still so much ground to clear in the community garden, they have found a good home in the Allotment Garden at the back of the centre. Thank you Carlton for your generosity.

Apples and pears
Clearing the bindweed and brambles,from the fence, and reducing a thicket of lonicera nitida thanks to Karen the intrepid volunteer,  I had a thought about espalier trained fruit trees. I know next to nothing about them apart from admiring them, and having an idea to fan train peaches or nectarines against the wall of the Allotment Garden a couple of years back. It didn't come to anything at the time but must have lain dormant!

The Allotment Garden, a project for local families 2009-11 (London Action Trust/Big Lottery)

Thanks to the wonders of the web there are numerous articles about espalier and fan training. Like many things in this life it boils down to whether you have a) the time to grow and train one year 'unfeathered maidens' or b) the money to buy them already trained with two or three tiers in place. The difference being a) a couple of years or b) about £40!

Espalier trained apples, with Achillea 'Red Velvet' and Anthemis tinctoria 'E C Buxton'  - edible and desirable

Here is an example of knee high espalier trained apples. Quite the fashion, or was two years ago at Hampton Court flower show.