My new damson orchard - planted in the Lyth Valley

The Lyth Valley is famous for its damsons. This is the Westmorland Damson Association https://www.lythdamsons.org.uk/thedamson.html

Mission Statement   The Westmorland Damson Association seeks to enhance the economy and landscape of traditional damson growing areas in Cumbria by supporting the growing, picking and use of Westmorland damsons

My land is in the Gilpin Valley which is in between the Lyth Valley and Winster Valley which are renowned for damson trees.

The grant I have is for woodland creation and cannot be used to plant fruit trees - which would be funded by a separate orchard grant. I have had in my mind that I can fill in spaces outside the grant funded area with some local damson trees due to the special location of the wood.

The history of the Westmorland Damson can be found here https://www.lythdamsons.org.uk/thedamson.html and is worth a read (the name damson is derived from Damascus where they may have come from during the Crusades but also they are found near Roman Encampments in England so they may date back further. Tons of fruit were shipped to London in the 1930’s and they have dwindled in more recent times.)

The Westmorland Damson Association have produced this fabulous map showing where damson orchards are currently located and on their website is another map which shows where damsons are sold by the roadside during the fruiting season. My wood is on this map to the north end in the middle.

                            Map of Lyth valley

Through the South Lakes Woodlanders, a group of like minded people developing and maintaining woodlands in the South Lakes, I heard of some damson suckers being available and I arranged to collect these. I was given 2 Merryweather Damsons. This is a breed from Nottingham and they come from a tree that is a good fruiter. I was delighted to plant these two trees - the first trees I have planted in the wood and I showed these in my last blog 

https://belswood20.blogspot.com/2023/02/winter-turns-to-spring-preparing-land.html 

Well things then happened quickly. I was offered some more from the same donor. He left a message on my answerphone to say they were available and then later that day decided to drop them off for me. Unfortunately he didn’t know where my wood was but I was able to retrieve them about 2km away with the help of some friends.

I was delighted that these were Westmorland Damsons and how mature they are.

I was then offered 5 saplings more which included one Victoria Plum.

I was offered more including 2 Worcestershire Apples and the rest Westmorland Damsons. 

A visitor to the wood saw how I had planted the first 2 trees and said ‘those are too close together’. So I have done some research and spoken to the damson tree donor as well as read advice in various places including of course the Westmorland Damson Association website. Advice received ranges from planting 5m apart up to 9m apart. This large distance allows the crowns to flourish. Damsons have a broad crown and will become entangled with neighbouring trees and therefore receive less light if too close together. I had planted them about 2m apart and on looking up I could see that the crowns would be shaded by a lovely oak tree.

Looking straight up from the planted trees

Having so many damson trees now (12) I realised I had enough for an orchard. Rather than spot planting them I have now identified space on the plot which is not designated for grant trees and not in my own designated conservation areas. It is a southwest facing slope looking towards the road so the damson blossom will be visible by people walking passed. I have found a good planting layout (below) and the recommendation is to avoid the lower slopes where the frost may settle so I have started at the top. I have planted them 6m-8m apart. The area is one with very strongly growing bracken and I am hoping that this far apart will allow for mechanical cutting this summer. I have moved the ones I planted earlier and added the new ones in this layout.

Planting on a slope

A passing neighbour saw me planting one day and told me that she had some damsons trees that are now aging and fruiting less and she would like to replace these. So I have passed 1 Merryweather and 1 Westmorland Damson tree to her. It was helpful seeing her 3 trees which were planted only about 2m apart as they are in her garden with limited space, and I can see that a greater separation would be helpful for the trees to branch out and flourish unhindered. Meanwhile I have been offered another Westmorland Damson sucker from another local contact so it looks like I will have a dozen trees. There doesn’t seem to be a minimum size to declare a group of a fruit trees an orchard but 12 feels like plenty. I have planted the Worcestershire Apple  and Victoria Plum trees in other places to spread out the blossom. If I am able to gather further Westmorland Damsons in future years there is room for more lower down the slope.

It's difficult to pick out the trees and the slope bends around to the south but you can see some of them here to get the idea. When they are in leaf they will be easier to see and I'll add a picture here.

I have staked the trees with branches from silver birches that had to be pruned back or removed when the deer fence went in.

          

I have recycled material as tree guards

Water bottle

   

Toilet roll middles

Kitchen roll 

Paper from toilet rolls - less likely to be successful but all I had to hand (I use these are fire starters alongside the inside to toilet rolls). I shall replace with toilet roll middles soon and they may deter mice for a week at least.

I’ll keep an eye on the saplings to see if these are working and replace anything not working.

I had expected to focus on gorse and barbed wire clearance in early March but have loved the tree planting instead. My body needs a rest for a few days now but I am imagining the blossom in my minds eye and feel a huge sense of happiness with this delightful and unexpected turn of events.

Updated video added - I came back from my trip to Somerset to find 2 more damson trees had been dropped off at my gate so now I have 13 damsons with proper tree guards all in the orchard ready for spring.