PLANTING MISSION
The area of orchards in England and Wales has halved since the early 1900s according to new research by the National Trust, resulting in huge habitat loss and meaning far fewer people can enjoy one of nature’s spectacular, yet fleeting, moments – spring blossom. Across the Midlands and the East of England the decline is even greater. Orchards have reduced from 37,877 hectares in the 1900s down to just 7,758 hectares today – a drop of 79.5%.
In a bid to reverse this trend, the National Trust has vowed to plant 4 million blossoming trees as part of its commitment to plant and establish 20 million trees by 2030.
This spring has also seen the creation of an avenue of blossom trees at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire, and 23 cherry trees have been planted at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, donated by the Japanese government as part of the Sakura Cherry Tree Project.
■ Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ features/how-were-bringingblossom-back to read more about projects to restore lost blossom.