Orchard

History Fruit for the year

Medieval orchards grew apples, pears, cherries, plums, quinces and medlars. Fresh fruit was a treat in late summer and autumn. To make it last, people dried it, stored hard apples in cool lofts, and pressed apples into cider and pears into perry.

Monasteries, manors and castles often had orchards inside or beside their walls, which kept the fruit safe from thieves and animals.

History Apples with names

People already grew different kinds of apples with their own names. One was the costard, a large apple. Street sellers of apples were called costardmongers, which became "costermonger", an English word still used for someone who sells fruit from a cart or stall.

Gardeners knew how to graft: they joined a twig from a good tree onto the roots of another, so the new tree gave the same fruit. Fruit growers still do this today.

Think about it

1. How could a family keep fruit for the winter without a fridge?
2. Why would an abbey or castle grow its orchard inside its walls?
3. What fruit grows near where you live?

Key words

Graft

To join part of one plant onto another so they grow together.

Cider

A drink made from pressed apples.

Costermonger

A person who sells fruit and vegetables from a cart.