Belle Isle Fruit Tree Giveaway
If you live on the Belle Isle estate in Leeds, you can apply to receive a free fruit tree to plant and grow in your garden. It’s a simple way to bring more nature into your home, enjoy home-grown fruit, and help make your community a little greener. Just make sure you’ve got a suitable spot in your front or back garden, then fill in the form linked below to request your tree.
What counts as a suitable planting spot?
A good planting space for a fruit tree is an area with enough room for the tree to grow, ideally several feet away from fences or buildings. It should get plenty of natural sunlight for most of the day, and have well-draining soil (not waterlogged or very compacted). If your garden has a sunny, open patch with healthy soil, it’s likely perfect!
Why plant a fruit tree?
In towns and cities, our own gardens are some of the best places to support nature and grow more of our own food. Planting fruit trees at home can:
Increase tree cover across the neighbourhood
Provide fresh, healthy fruit for you and your community
Create valuable habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife
Help clean the air and store carbon
Build a stronger connection with the natural world right on your doorstep
A single tree can make a meaningful difference, and collectively, they add up to a greener, healthier Belle Isle.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
No, we can only give out one tree per household to ensure the project impacts as many people as possible.
-
You will be able to choose between a sweet apple, cooking apple, plum or pear tree, or a currant bush.
-
We will aim to deliver and plant your trees between mid February and mid March 2026. We’ll be in touch with you directly to arrange a date and time.
-
To give your new tree the best possible start, a member of our planting team will come and plant it with you or for you - whichever you prefer. We’ll be there to make sure everything is done correctly, but you or anyone in your household is very welcome to do the actual planting if you’d like to be involved.
-
Send us a few clear photos of your garden via email or WhatsApp and tell us as much as you can about it, and we will let you know if it’s suitable or not.
-
Water your tree once a week, and more often in hot or very dry weather. Each time you water, try to give it around 12 litres so the roots get a good drink.
Keeping up with regular watering is especially important during the first two years while the tree is getting established. After that, you can gradually reduce how often you water, as the tree will be much more resilient.
Keep the base of the tree free from weeds and top up with mulch when necessary. You can use woodchip, compost, straw, fallen leaves or a hessian sack.
We will be in touch throughout the first year after planting to give you aftercare tips and reminders.
-
Apple, pear and plum trees can start producing after about three years. If your tree forms a heavy crop before then, it’s best to thin some of the young fruits, as too much weight too early can put strain on the branches.
Currant bushes, on the other hand, can start fruiting after just one year, and there’s no need to remove any of the developing fruits.
Got another question? Email us at hello@fruitworks.org.uk
With thanks
This project is kindly funded by the King Charles III Charitable Fund and the West Yorkshire Society of Architects.