Helen’s Neighborhood Demonstration Orchard

Named in honor of Helen Clawson Wells, great granddaughter of Brigham Young, University Gardens Neighborhood planted 60 apple and pear trees on October 15, 2011 in what was Salt Lake City’s first urban orchard on the corner of 100 South and 1100 East. This orchard will include Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonagold apple trees; Anjou, Bartlett, Asian and Twentieth Century Pear Trees in a demonstration orchard utilizing the planning technique known as “high density planting” and will teach classes on the care of backyard fruit trees. Tree Utah provided volunteer training on the planting, care and long term stewardship of these types of trees.

Once dozens of orchards and hundreds of springs dotted the East Central Community area. The sustainability of the University Gardens Neighborhood will be greatly enhanced by re-introducing this type of orchard project.

The funding for the orchard was provide by Smith’s Food and Drugs and matching funds from East Central Community Council. Salt Lake Regional Hospital and the medical center is sharing their land and providing ongoing water support.