THE SNOW and cold weather may not be ideal for many people but for planting the latest set of apple trees at Holywell Orchard at the weekend it was just right.

As part of Stroud Valleys Project's plan to restore the orchard to a haven for wildlife and the community, project staff and residents spent Saturday planting shrubs and trees to reflect the site's contribution to Cam and Dursley's long history of orchard growing.

The orchard, which straddles Cam and Dursley parishes, is owned by Stroud District Council and cared for by Stroud Valleys Project.

Hundreds of years ago, apples, pears and other orchard fruit were a major industry in Gloucestershire.

Holywell Orchard is shown on old maps of Cam parish to have existed as far back as 1888 and a special variety of apple called Gloucester Royal - now in decline in the area - was bred and grown in Dursley.

A search by Stroud Valleys Project's biodiversity projects manager Tony Metcalfe led him to a nursery near Berkeley that still grows this type of apple and during the planting session volunteers planted Gloucester Royal and other Gloucestershire varieties of apples - Berkeley Pippin, Gloucestershire Underleaf and Morgan Sweet at the orchard.

Director of projects Caroline Aistropp said: "The latter is more from the Worcestershire and Hereford area but Edna Eacott, who grew up in a cottage on the site, and other people who remember the old orchard tell us that it was one of the apple trees they recall growing there.

One of the Morgan Sweet trees was planted in memory of Edna's brother Ernest who died last year. He had been a great lover of the site and was pleased that it was again receiving care and attention.

Volunteer Deb Coleman said: "The event was attended by eight adults and a number of school children. It was a very successful morning. Everybody worked hard to get everything done."

Stroud Valleys Project plans to restore half of the site as an orchard with the remainder dedicated to providing shelter and food for wildlife and making it a place for the community.