Long lost fruit trees 'find'

10:53am Friday 17th August 2007

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A WOMAN from Crosthwaite has stumbled upon a sweet-tasting surprise after discovering a rare fruit growing in her orchard.

Mary Harkness made the fruitful discovery when she found Blue Violet damsons growing in her orchard at Crosthwaite - and it is thought that the trees are the only ones left in the country that bare the fruit, which has been threatened with extinction.

Following months of research into the elusive crop, Mrs Harkness discovered that the Blue Violet was first grown in the orchard by Howard Millard, who in 1932 sent two small trees to be tested by the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Fruit Tree Collection, in Kent.

Those trees are now thought to be deceased and, after speaking to experts from the RHS and the Westmorland Damson Association, Mrs Harkness believes that hers are the only two remaining fruit-bearing trees suitable for propagation.

The Blue Violets, which fruit in late July, are bigger than the normal Shropshire Prune damsons that are found in the Lyth Valley and possess a sweeter flavour that makes them an ideal soft fruit, which can be eaten straight from the tree.

For full story, see the August 17 Westmorland Gazette.