Turner’s Nursery set to be transformed with tree-planting (From Bournemouth Echo)

Turner’s Nursery set to be transformed with tree-planting

3:00pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News By Diana Henderson

BIG PLANS: The Friends of Turner's Nursery are overseeing plans to preserve land as a community orchard at the site, inset below

PLANS have been laid to tame a wilderness and transform a much loved open space in Poole.

Turner’s Nursery, between Victoria Road, Livingstone Road and Upper Road in Parkstone, has its own Friends group of local residents, determined to protect and improve it.

Around 35 residents turned up at a coffee morning at Sylvan First School to talk about planting a wildlife hedgerow and a community orchard.

“We have got 400 trees arriving from the Woodland Trust and we will be planting a hedgerow at the beginning of November,” said Friend of Turner’s Nursery, Harriet Stewart-Jones.

The wildlife friendly hedge-row along the eastern boundary will be made up of blackthorn, rowan, hawthorn, haz-el, oak and silver birch trees.

Apple and plum trees are on order and the start of an orchard is to be planted.

However Wessex Water is to lay a sewer through part of the land before the majority of planting for the orchard takes place.

Turner’s Nursery is a large fenced-off piece of Turner’s Field which has been in public ownership since the 1980s.

Brambles and nettles overtook the area and last year residents presented a petition to Borough of Poole calling for the wildlife sanctuary to be brought into community use.

The council then agreed to develop part of the site as a shared community and education garden and orchard.

“There is lots of enthusiasm,” said Harriet.

“It’s a good project and the schools are very keen.”

Branksome Middle and Sylvan First schools are involved as well as St Aldhelm’s.

Volunteers are being sought to help plant a hedgerow and anyone who wants to get involved can contact friends ofturnersnursery@gmail.com.