The Orchard was William Morris' first attempt to design a figurative tapestry, responding to the wishes of rich clients to have unique works of art by him, and following on from the success of his firm of Morris & Co in producing fine tapestries designed by the artist Edward Burne-Jones. It depicts an array of fruit trees with their harvest ready for gathering, including apples, grapes, olives and pears, behind a row of figures in medieval-style dress.
The figures are holding a scrolling banner with a poem composed by Morris, written especially for the tapestry, and celebrating the bounty of the orchard, and the rhythm of the seasons.