New Kerikeri orchard at historic site springs from country’s oldest fruit trees

James Robinson of Heritage New Zealand planting one of the fruit trees at Edmonds Ruins near Kerikeri.

An orchard of heritage trees descended from some of the country’s oldest fruit trees are thriving at a historic Bay of Islands site.

They have been planted at the historic Edmonds Ruins site near the Kerikeri Inlet, ahead of an upcoming open day at the site.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland staff, Bill Edwards and James Robinson, recently planted the fruit trees at the historic property.

Edmonds Ruins incorporates the remains of stonemason John Edmonds’ house, which he and his sons built between 1840 and 1858, and the surrounding landscape which made up the original Edmonds farm. The site is cared for today by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

The tree stock for the new orchard was sourced from remnant plantings that still exist at Paetae Reserve - the site where the Edmonds family first established themselves in 1837-38. The trees were almost certainly planted by Edmonds, and are still producing fruit there.

The new trees at Edmonds Ruins – which include peach and fig saplings – were propagated from this original stock by Heritage New Zealand staff member Alex Bell as a project during the national Covid-19 lockdown.

As well as eventually producing a source of fresh fruit, the orchard will also be part of a plan to reduce the number of pests in the area according to Edwards, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland manager, who is in charge of the site.

Edmonds Ruins was built by the first European settler family on the south side of the Kerikeri Inlet. There is an open day on Sunday of Labour Weekend

“Because Edmonds Ruins backs on to large areas of bush, pests and animals like wild pigs are a problem. Local people have also replanted a lot of native trees close by which are also in danger from pests,” he said.

“Eventually, once the orchard starts producing fruit, this will attract pests and wild animals to the orchard area where they will be humanely trapped and disposed of by the Kerikeri Peninsula Conservation Charitable Trust to help protect the native bush and plantings in the area.”

An open day will be held at Edmonds Ruins on the Sunday of Labour Weekend from 11am-4pm on Edmonds Road, where people will be able to enjoy guided tours of the ruins, while learning more about the work that has been carried out on-site over the past 10 months – including the repair of the front wall by local stonemason Ian McDiamard.

Parking is available close to the ruins – though no campervans or trucks are permitted due to the narrow entrance to the site. Parking also available on the main road for larger vehicles, an easy 100m walk from the ruins. For more information visit www.visitheritage.co.nz/whats-on/northland-events/edmonds-ruins-open-day