Spring is here and Morpeth Lions Club is continuing to enhance a woodland bank in the town’s Carlisle Park Garden that was inspired by William Turner – the father of English Botany.  The Club planted 40 trees and 12 fruit bushes on the bank in 2012 to commemorate its 40th anniversary.  All of the trees on the bank – including Quince, Medlar, Almond and the Strawberry tree – are featured in William Turner’s ‘Herbal’ – the pioneering work which this famous son of Morpeth wrote between 1551 and 1568.  In the latest tranche of planting, the Lions are continuing the theme with three more trees and ten dog and guelder roses.

During the planting, which took place on consecutive weeks in April and May, the Garden was inspected by firstly Britain in Bloom judges and then by the Green Flag judges. On both occasions, Lions were on hand to explain their planting scheme and its relevance to the work of William Turner.