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Urban orchards can be planted at many different types of sites. EarthWorks has orchards at city parks, public and private schools, church yards, community centers and gardens, housing developments and cooperatives, former house lots, museums, even in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area. Bear in mind that urban orchards sites are very different from rural commercial orchards that you may have seen. The bottom of this page lists our current orchards by city and neighborhood.
Here are some examples of different types of orchards:
McLaughlin Park and Playground – This historic orchard within a city park is planted with fruit varieties that complement the established fruit trees at the site, which are thought to be descendants of an 18th century colonial orchard. In addition, there is an extensive urban wild at the site.
Warren Gardens Housing Cooperative – The goal of an orchard at a housing development is to provide free fruit and a community-building and beautifying project. In 2000 EarthWorks staff and Warren Gardens residents and staff planted over 50 fruit trees and shrubs, as well as 150 native trees.
Nira Rock Urban Wild – This site is one of Boston’s urban wilds, planted with native species and maintained for increased biodiversity. The orchard at this site is comparatively small but still yields a variety of high quality organic fruit.
Russell School and Everett Square – This public school orchard is part of EarthWorks’ Outdoor Classrooms Program. Across the street from the school is a historic orchard, planted by EarthWorks in 2002, with varieties of fruit developed and grown in Boston as early as the 1600’s.
The links below provide a brief tour of our current orchards by city and neighborhood.
34 Linwood Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
Ph: 617.442.1059