Community orchards

You can pick your own fruit and nuts for free at our community orchards in parks and open spaces across the city. It is a great place to enjoy freshly picked fruit, fun for all the family to be active in the fresh air, and learn about locally grown produce too!

Mapping Edible Leicester aims to show people where the community orchards are and how easy it is to harvest the fruit and to cook and eat it.

Having a diet full of fresh fruit and vegetables is essential for good health and wellbeing but they can be expensive. The community orchards can help families by providing fruit for free – all you have to do is pick it!

Find an orchard location

The first orchards to be mapped can be found in the following parks:

• Abbey Park – Park House
• Evington Arboretum – Shady Lane
• Evington Park – Ethel Road
• Western Park – Glenfield Road
• Western Park – Eco House

Leicester tree wardens have been mapping the orchard trees across the city, assessing their health and vitality, type and position. This information is being used to let the people know where they can find free fresh food and help us to look after the orchards for future generations.

Orchard hints and tips

• You are welcome to pick the fruit and nuts on public spaces, but please only take what you need and leave some for others and the wildlife. 
• Please look after the trees and don’t damage them when harvesting. 
• Don’t break the branches by pulling them down too far or throw objects into the trees. You could take a walking stick or umbrella along to hook tall branches. 
• It is okay to pick up dropped fruit but wash the fruit and cut out damaged parts first before eating. 
• Please be careful of uneven ground and stinging insects, as they are attracted to the ripe sugary fruit. 
• Pick fruit and nuts is at your own risk. 
• If pets join the harvest, please pick up after them. 
• Please take your litter home.

Time to harvest

• Generally, you can tell if fruit is ripe when you lift and gently twist it, and it falls into your hand. If it doesn’t, leave it a bit longer on the plant.
• Apples: are typically harvested from late summer to early autumn, usually from late August through October. The exact timing depends on the variety of apple and local climate conditions. You can tell apples are ready to pick when they are firm, crisp, and have good colour.
• Pears: are usually ready for harvest in late summer to early autumn, around the same time as apples. Pears should be picked while they are still firm but not too hard. They will continue to ripen off the tree.
• Plums: varieties can ripen at different times, but generally, they are ready to be picked from late summer to early autumn, often in August and September. Plums should be picked when they are fully coloured and slightly soft to the touch.
• Raspberries: ripen in summer, starting in June or July, depending on the variety. They are ready to be picked when they come off the stem easily and have a deep colour.
• Blackberries: can be harvested from late summer to early autumn, usually from July through September. They should be picked when they are fully black and easily come off the plant.
• Cherries: can be picked from late spring to early summer, usually in June and July. They should be harvested when they are plump and have good colour.

Apple recipes

Guided walks this season

As well as fresh fruit to enjoy you can also take part in free guided walks to Leicester's orchards and other green spaces at Choose How You Move.

We are creating a series of four guided walks this year in partnership with Choose How You Move, which include the community orchards on Abbey Park, Evington Park, Western Park and Evington Arboretum.

The walk themes are spring blossom, emerging fruit, ripening fruit and autumn colour. As the first walk is fully booked, we have provided a self-guided version and placed it online for you to download and print off, so that you can enjoy the walk at any time. Our thanks go to the tree warden members and the Choose How You Move team. You can sign up to the Walk Leicester and other council newsletters here. 

Mapping Edible Leicester 

Mapping Edible Leicester is a collaboration between our tree wardens, Leicester Environmental Volunteers, Live Well Leicester (Public Health), Conservation Volunteers, Walk Leicester, Conservation Team and local orchard and friends of groups.

Get involved

For further information email us at [email protected], or go to our environmental volunteers section.