About

Chris Braithwaite was Gardener in Charge for 35 years at a local National Trust house and garden where he designed and maintained the orchards, productive gardens, restored the sunken garden and also installed a new medicinal herb garden. Throughout the grounds he designed and built woodland walks and paths, instituted wildflower meadows and expanded a comprehensive collection of plants including 170 varieties of fruit, particularly northern and local varieties. Chris also established Apple Day, an annual event celebrating the apple and rare varieties that has run since 1994. He is a Founder Member of the North Cumbrian Orchard Group.

Chris has a wealth of knowledge of local growing conditions in the north of England, and extensive experience in running workshops in pruning and grafting apple trees.