Â鶹ÊÓƵAV

Sheila visits Brogdale in Kent which, for the past 50 years, has been the home of Britain’s national fruit collections. With over 2000 different varieties of apples, 550 of pear, 220 of cherry and 320 varieties of bush fruits, it is world famous. But its future is now under threat as the government has invited new organisations to put in bids for its upkeep – which could mean the collection is moved from Brogdale.

Sheila Dillon talks to Brent Ellis, archivist at the Royal Horticultural Society about the origins of collections of fruit varieties being secured for the nation.

Sheila talks to Brogdale guide, Mary Strutt and some of the visitors at Brogdale.

Sheila talks to Dr. Joan Morgan in the Brogdale library and outside in the Brogdale gardens about the value and history of the Brogdale collections.

Sheila talks to Teresa Watkins, founder and owner of Classic Preserves Ltd, a commercial enterprise linked to the Brogdale collections.

Sheila takes a tour of the orchards at Brogdale with the Brogdale Trust’s chief Executive Jane Garrett, which has just submitted its own bid to DEFRA to continue to run the collections but from a different site.

Sheila talks to Jeff Rooker, the food and farming minister, to hear the government’s view on the future of the national Fruit Collections.