Orchard

Everything from grey squirrels to hornets, tawny owls to hazel dormice and even stoats and common toads line up to take advantage of the nesting and roosting sites created by the orchard's cabinet-makers. This lyrical, month-by-month journey through one of the most endangered parts of the countryside is an account of an ancient English orchard from January to December, celebrating the extraordinary range of animals and plants it supports and its rich ecosystem. If we can rewild England's orchards, favouring organic methods and harvesting with a balanced ecosystem in mind, not only wildlife but people will profit from this enrichment for centuries to come. We are taken into the Malvern Hills and the twin peaks of a hop kiln and into the rambling countryside of Europe's oldest corner to learn about apples and bears.