Have you ever tasted the sweet Blood of the Boyne, or taken a bite out of No Surrender?
Well you might be able to in future - free of charge - thanks to a “paramili-tree” project that aims to create urban orchards across Belfast, and revive rare native Irish apple varieties.
The guerilla gardening movement is the brainchild of a secretive Belfast horticultural enthusiast known only as the Phantom Planter.
With his trademark Anonymous-style Guy Fawkes mask, he has already secretly planted a swathe of fruit trees in Belfast over the last decade, and is now aiming to bring back native Irish apple varieties, which will be planted in more locations in the city in the coming years after being developed in a burgeoning main orchard.
The aim of the project is both to provide a free source of food for residents who live close to the spots, and also to help fruit fans rediscover Ireland’s own apple heritage.
The Planter estimates there are around 120 native Irish varieties of apple, and he hopes the orchards will have a cross-community appeal thanks to several varieties with a distinctly loyalist/Protestant ‘flavour’.
He also plans to cross-cultivate brand new varieties that could be named after Irish political figures including Michael Collins.
The secretive nature of the project is due to some trees being planted on some land, including council-owned, without permission.
“This is a movement that’s been building steadily for years, and our main community orchard now is in the Belvoir estate area in south Belfast,” he told the Irish News.
“Apple trees from garden centres aren’t the best for our climate, but as you’d expect, native Irish apple trees grow like champions, and we have around 30 varieties in our orchard.”
Along with types including Donegal Green Chisel and Cavan Wine, the orchard includes Blood of the Boyne - a dark red/purple apple described as having a surprisingly sweet Strawberry-like flavour, that once flourished in Co Meath - and heritage variety No Surrender, a large sweet green cooking apple.
“These varieties were cross-bred to mark the formation of the Orange Order, and they attract a lot of interest,” the Planter explains.
“I’m from a ‘mixed’ background myself, with my dad from the loyalist community and my mother originally from Ardoyne. I’ve given talks in loyalist areas about the project and emphasise the cross-community aspect of this project - I want to see people from all backgrounds supporting it.”
The Planter and a team of passionate volunteers are currently raising funds to assist them in realising their dream, and have so far raised almost £4,000 of a £5,000 goal through a GoFundMe page.
His fruit troop “searched high and low” across the island last year to gather cuttings of Irish heritage varieties known as ‘scions’ to create the native orchard.
“To successfully grow an apple tree you need to use a grafting system,” he said.
“Our trees will produce healthy, non-sprayed fully organic fruit, that we want people to enjoy for free.
“Each apple tree, from about 10 years old, can produce a minimum of 2,000 apples in its average 100-year lifetime - that’s a lot of free nutritious food.
“It’s good for people, and good for the community and making connections with each other.
“We’ve designated many of the young trees as memorials for locals. Some people have even buried the ashes of their loved ones when the tree is planted and in future they could return and remember the deceased while eating the apples. I think that creates a beautiful deep connection.”
There is a spiritual side to the Phantom Planter’s mission, as he is a practising Buddhist with a deep-rooted interest in being in harmony with nature.
He describes himself as an ex-drug addict and former alcoholic “who on my recovery fell into Buddhism.”
On his Facebook page he has previously explained how he replaced drink and drug binges with “tree planting binges, leveling up with my soul debt with nature”.
“Trees are my own personal way of connecting with nature; it’s a big passion of mine that’s helped me so much in my life, and I hope to inspire others on their own personal journeys with with this project.”
