Rare Gabalfa Apple Set for Return to Cardiff After Century-Long Absence

A unique apple variety, historically celebrated in Cardiff, is slated for reintroduction in the Welsh capital after being absent for a hundred years. The Gabalfa apple, originating from the Victorian era, was once described as “sufficiently good for a late dessert apple, and a very valuable one for culinary purposes”. Although presumed extinct, it was rediscovered in Carmarthenshire in 2004 by the Marcher Apple Network, a collective of enthusiasts dedicated to revitalizing heirloom apple and pear varieties. Fifty Gabalfa trees, along with hundreds of other fruit trees, are scheduled for planting across Cardiff. This initiative aims to both enhance biodiversity and honor the legacy of the Pettigrew family, who are credited with shaping the city’s modern landscape. Jennifer Burke, from Cardiff Council, stated that the tree-planting project, named Coed Caerdydd, forms part of broader efforts to combat climate change and “expand Cardiff’s tree canopy”. Beyond the 50 Gabalfa apple trees, the project will also involve planting 450 additional fruit trees, including apples, pears, plums, and cherries, as well as new hedgerows throughout the city. Project manager Chris Engel articulated that the program’s goal is to “follow in the footsteps of the people who made the incredible green spaces, and make our parks the green lungs of Cardiff once again”. He further commented that “the way we appreciate the open spaces of modern Cardiff is entirely down to the Pettigrews”. Andrew Pettigrew, who began his career as a gardener for John Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd Marquess of Bute, and his three sons transformed Cardiff’s green areas into the public parks residents enjoy today. Andrew Senior, born in 1883, was the son of a Scottish shoemaker. He initially worked at Dumfries House, the Bute residence in Ayrshire, before relocating to work on the family’s estate in Cardiff. Unlike his sons, who all received horticultural training at Kew Gardens, Andrew was self-taught. Despite this, he not only introduced the Gabalfa apple but also cultivated Wales’s first commercially successful wine grapes. Rosie James, formerly the principal landscape architect at Cardiff Council, noted that the Marquess’s grounds were “famous for their landscaping”. She explained that their style drew inspiration from the renowned designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, “but with more modern Victorian growing methods”. Mrs. James remarked, “From the boating lake at Roath Park to the lines of limes in Cathays Park, you can see the fingerprints of the Pettigrews all over Cardiff.” She added, “They wanted beautiful spaces for people to walk in, but there was also an eye on the budget, and the need for the parks to pay for themselves.” From 1873 to 1947, the Bute family facilitated the transfer of these scenic landscapes into public ownership. While public access for walking through the grounds was free, activities such as fishing, bowling, football, and ice-skating incurred charges, occasionally leading to conflicts between these competing uses. Mrs. James commented, “Today we would value wildlife more than fishing, but the Pettigrews saw otters as a threat to the viability of their fishing lake.” She cited a report in the gardener’s notes documenting “the successful killing of a 22lb (10kg) otter, which was decimating the lake’s fish stock.” Furthermore, when Roath Lake failed to freeze, the Pettigrews even considered flooding a football pitch to serve as an ice rink, aiming to “maximise revenue”. Both Andrew Senior and the Marquess passed away around the turn of the 20th century. Reportedly, shortly before his death in October 1900, the Marquess told Andrew Pettigrew: “See all this before us, this is yours and my legacy for now and generations to come.” Andrew’s son, William Wallace Pettigrew, succeeded him until he resigned in 1915 to assume the position of Chief of Parks in Manchester. Mrs. James highlighted that the Pettigrews’ vision also extended to England. She stated, “In Manchester, William undertook the world’s first study into the effects of air pollution on the health of society.” She elaborated, “It was taken extremely seriously, not out of philanthropy, but because after World War One the shortage of labour meant that keeping the industrial workforce healthy was more important than ever.” The two younger sons, Hugh and Andrew A Pettigrew, both served as Head of Parks for the Cardiff Corporation after careers working for the Earl of Plymouth on his St Fagans estate. Andrew Junior died of cancer in 1937, and Hugh died in a car crash 10 years later. Today, a tea room at the entrance to Bute Park commemorates the four men. Mrs. James concluded, “There can never have been one family who did so much good for the wild spaces of an urban city.”