Now our vine is doing pretty good.
I planted it about twenty years ago and for its first decade it did very little.
So much so that after its wooden frame fell down it was left to lie on the ground, neglected and forgotten.
And that would have been it but with the addition of some new trellis around 2010 we tried again and as they say it has never looked back.
In a good year, the grapes while small are sweet and so we have now been passing bunches over to our neighbours.
All of which is not just an opportunity to boast about my gardening skills, more to reflect that we were until relatively recently an agricultural community growing amongst other things cash crops for the Manchester markets.
And along with these, we made both cider and perry which I have written about both on the blog and in the Chorlton book.**
In the 1840s our spot was farmed by Samuel Gratrix who grew a mixed bunch of stuff and had his own orchard, so I like the idea that we planted apple, cherry and apricot trees almost where his apples would have grown.
And like the vine they are doing as well which I suspect as more to do with the way Mr Gratrix looked the land than anything I have done.
Location; Chorlton
Pictures; grapes from the Chorlton vine, 2017 from the collection of Andrew Simpson and Mr Higginbotham courtesy of Mr Higginbotham from the Lloyd Collection
*Chorlton cider and perry, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Chorlton%20cider%20and%20perry
**The story of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/the-story-of-chorlton-cum-hardy.html
 |
| Grapes from Chorlton, 2017 |
So much so that after its wooden frame fell down it was left to lie on the ground, neglected and forgotten.
And that would have been it but with the addition of some new trellis around 2010 we tried again and as they say it has never looked back.
In a good year, the grapes while small are sweet and so we have now been passing bunches over to our neighbours.
 |
| Mr Higginbotham on the file opposite on Row Acre,1894 |
In the 1840s our spot was farmed by Samuel Gratrix who grew a mixed bunch of stuff and had his own orchard, so I like the idea that we planted apple, cherry and apricot trees almost where his apples would have grown.
And like the vine they are doing as well which I suspect as more to do with the way Mr Gratrix looked the land than anything I have done.
Location; Chorlton
Pictures; grapes from the Chorlton vine, 2017 from the collection of Andrew Simpson and Mr Higginbotham courtesy of Mr Higginbotham from the Lloyd Collection
*Chorlton cider and perry, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Chorlton%20cider%20and%20perry
**The story of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/the-story-of-chorlton-cum-hardy.html
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