TWO Shinfield schools will soon be able to see the fruits of their labours, thanks to a gift from the parish council.
Last week, a team spearheaded by Shinfield Parish Council’s Cllr Ian Montgomery planted apple trees as a gift. But these are no ordinary trees: when they bear fruit, it will be the Shinfield Seedling.
The dessert apple was first discovered by the University of Reading in the 1940s.
Cllr Montgomery said: “Dr Adrian Wood from the university’s horticultural department named it. It was an unidentified apple.
“We thought it would be a good idea to plant it in the village’s schools.
“We contacted the National Fruit Collection and asked them to take cuttings. The trees that we’ve planted are about four years old now. They were growing in a nursery until now.”
He added: “This is great for the community, it’s a local tree and it should be growing in a local atmosphere.”
The trees were accompanied by further specimens that were donated by Wyevale garden centre and planted in Shinfield St Mary’s School and Shinfield Infants School.
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