Food Growing Archives - Growing Together

Looking To Get Growing? Check Out Oxgangs Seed Library!

June 29, 2025

Denise from Oxgangs Growers took some community-inspired initiative recently and lined, painted, and upcycled an old chest of drawers into this beautiful wee Seed Library for her local community – and it’s gone down a treat, with local folks picking up a seed packet or two to get growing themselves!

Donations to the seed library are welcome – If you have any spare, unused, or unwanted seed packets, please pop them in for others to pick up! You can find the library at the Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre.

Lovely example of community growers getting creative to inspire and make it easy for others to get started.

For more info about Oxgangs Growers, click here!

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Talking All Things ‘The Right To Grow’: Interview With Councillor Hal Osler

May 1, 2025

We spoke with Councillor Hal Osler about ‘the right to grow’ for Edinburgh’s citizens, what this means, and how access to HRA land for communal growing benefits individuals, communities, and the city as a whole. Edinburgh councillors passed a motion on the ‘right to grow,’ tabled by Hal, in 2023, and have been exploring and developing next steps and initiatives since.

For you, what is the ‘right to grow’, and if realised, what could this look like in Edinburgh?

For me, the right to grow is the chance to simplify how individuals can reconnect with and use spare, disused land. From a planning point of view, I mean land that previously had a function, but doesn’t have a class usage currently. We can’t afford to have land that’s not productive, if it’s not given a positive function it will attract negative functions such as fly tipping.

From a person-centred point of view, it’s fundamental that individuals can sustain themselves, we need to reconnect with food as individuals, it’s something I’m deeply concerned with. If you’re only experience of food is supermarket food and ready-made meals, it desensitises you to food’s other functions – community, sharing – in other parts of Europe you see food festivals, you see community olive picking, I’m interested in how we can bring food back to community here.

What prompted/inspired your interest in the issue, and desire to table the motion?

I grew up in the country, in an environment where we ate what we producer, what was fresh in the garden. Our land’s use was to grow produce. In the summer months there was sometimes so much we didn’t know what to do with it all – and that’s the positive thing about community growing, there are many people to share with so there isn’t that waste from over-abundance.

What benefits do you believe the ‘right to grow’ can bring on an individual, community, and city-wide level?

It’s huge for physical and mental health. Gardening is about nurturing, it stimulates the brain, and lets you destress. It establishes community focus; it gives individuals pride and something to be attached to – there’s nothing like the joy planting a tiny seed and watching it tiny bear fruit. It teaches people patience; it moves us away from the instant gratification of fast food and towards feeling connected to our food. It gives us the chance to sit together and enjoy meals, rather than shoving it down. It should be about getting a sense of achievement from what we’ve grown and then prepping, savouring, and enjoying it.

On a city-level, it’s huge because Edinburgh is a small city with a lot of pressure on it. We have an aspiration to be a million-tree city, and the right to grow food plays into that by aiding in biodiversity and flood prevention – grass alone doesn’t do very much. All our greenspaces should be connected by biodiversity corridors, which encourage pollinators – birds and insects – and in turn lets us grow more. It’s about nature restoration and giving individuals and communities a stake in it is the easiest way to do this.

In what ways do you think the Council and third-sector food growing initiatives can work together to facilitate growing across the city?

Working together is essential. Edinburgh Council is a good provider and facilitator of services, but we need that connection with the third sector – in a lot of communities they are more trusted and experienced, they’re more embedded and therefore have more understanding of each communities’ needs. People are put off by lecturing and public health jargon, nobody wants to be lectured, and the third sector are able to put things across to their communities in a way that resonates.

Why do you believe it is important for individuals to be more connected with their food and understand where their food comes from?

It’s important on a variety of fronts. For the simple aspect of health, it’s learning how to nourish ourselves with fresh food, but more than that, everybody understands the joy of seeing the bright colours of natural food. It lets us explore different textures, what foods taste and feel like when they’re raw versus cooked, all of which makes people feel more comfortable and connected with their food – and starting this off with children is especially important, it’s pictorial for them, they can see it, let them explore their taste buds, give them more time to experiment.

I visited Broomhouse Growers and it was a joy to see everyone tasting the artichokes they’d grown – some were trying it for the first time. I got to take some away with me and make artichoke soup at home, which was delicious!

Gardens are just a different space, you hear people say they didn’t know a variety of vegetable would look that way and they want to know the differences, or that you could eat the leaves, fruits and roots of a particular plant, or they’ll be surprised they liked something. Growing encourages curiosity and gives people knowledge.

Growing food communally also allows immigrants to bring a touch of home to their neighbourhood and share the foods they’ve grown up with, creating a better sense of belonging. We also gain something new from that, we get to be curious and expand our knowledge of food, communities can be brought together through sharing food.

What do you think the next steps are in moving towards the right to grow?

The Council are launching a ‘Grow Your Own’ grant initiative, it’s a pilot scheme where community groups can apply for up to £5,000 to set up new growing projects. We’re also a supporting partner of Edinburgh Living Landscapes, and as part of work with that we should end up with a road map for insects and pollinators. Grass cutting paper, look at biodiversity.

Next steps are no simple thing, it’s about looking at better ways to manage and develop HRA land – looking for alternative ways it can be used rather than limiting access to it. As a Council we can develop an idea and allow individuals to explore it, but a lot of it is about changing attitudes and education, trying to convince everyone this is something we all we all want to be part of, that we can turn a corner by making small changes in our communities that fundamentally make big changes. We need to change how we view our land too – greenspaces are not supposed to be arid deserts, a wild meadow has purpose, Becoming a million tree city benefits everyone, it provides a positive natural environment, and it helps with flood prevention

Growing is such a simple joy. You have this relationship with something that’s living and growing, that will hopefully outlast you. It sustains and brings joy to others, people and wildlife alike.

We have to provide people living in an urban environment with an alternative to over-consumption, it’s about encouraging everyone to slow down and consider the cost of that consumption to themselves and what’s around them.

Do you think there is a lot of interest among the city’s residents to grow their own food/have the right to grow?

Yes, I do, I believe people want to grow. People are passionate, I’ve talked to different people across the city about what they’ve done and what they’ve not been able to do in terms of growing. I mean look at lockdown, people who had the ability and opportunity to grow did just that, and that’s great for individuals with gardens, but not everyone has access to land – community growing allows for that. It also makes it less terrifying; everyone fears getting something wrong when they start out, growing communally encourages positivity and opens a conversation about what you would like to grow, rather than focusing on what you can’t do.

Community gardens also serve as safe third places that bring together like-minded individuals. In a busy and chaotic life, you need that space with other people. We live in a very divided world, and we need to support people that want to come together to brainstorm and be proactive about improving their environment. Most importantly we need to support it in a way that’s sustainable, so it’s not just a flash in the pan.

Do you see the right to grow as a key player in making Scotland a Good Food Nation?

It’s one of the many parts, but personally speaking I think it extends wider than that, its benefits go beyond food too – it’s also a key part of improving communities, reducing issues like anti-social behaviour. I want to end on something key – it has to start from the bottom up, how do we relieve the overwhelming burden of getting started from individuals and just let them grow.

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Edinburgh Community Food: Market Stall Donations

April 4, 2025

Edinburgh Community Food are encouraging local produce growers, allotment owners, and farmers to donate surplus produce to their weekly Market Stall in an effort to reduce food waste – and are happy to offer a donation in return.

Drop-Off:

Tuesdays 8am-2pm

22 Tennant Street, EH65ND

For more info contact:

kmiller@edinburghcommunityfood.org.uk

01314677362 / 07598674378

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Dumbiedykes Growers: New Garden Site Transformed For The 2025 Growing Season

March 30, 2025

Throughout the autumn and winter months, Dumbiedykes Growers have worked incredibly hard to create a new garden for locals to use in a central and quiet neighbourhood spot, and with support from Community Gardener Johanna, they’ve made an amazing transformation!

New Site: Before

New Site: After

So far, they’ve planted up their border with currant bushes, herbs, fennel, some bee friendly ornamental flowers like rudbeckias and sunflowers, and have been working on their perimeter mixed bed of edibles.

Looking to the near future, there are lots of ideas – one resident from Hong Kong is keen to try growing choi sum and mooli, while others are interested in planting white turnips – a growing season of trying new things awaits!

Raised Bed: Before

Raised Bed: After

The group particularly enjoyed building the raised growing beds due to the teamwork it involved – with everyone getting stuck in measuring, sawing, and drilling. Whip dust was used to establish a very professional looking pathway, and they also DIY’ed a cold frame, which is currently home to some early broad beans. Many brought their own tools and got innovative with other fantastic additions, such as a bench that doubles up as storage, and some small seats for people to rest on or simply enjoy the space.

Grassy Area: Before

Grassy Area: After

The final result is a small garden that’s been thoughtfully designed and created by local people, for local people. It’s a reflection of their skills and commitment to making a positive difference in their community by taking ownership of their local green spaces, and a testament to how much you can do with the materials you have.

The group are hopeful to have the garden looking as colourful and abundant as possible over the next few months, with the goal of benefitting local residents, pollinators, and wildlife alike. By brightening up and making productive use of a previously disused area, as well building and providing free, accessible beds for residents to grow fresh produce, they’ve made an outstanding effort to benefit and make a positive change in their community both now and in the future.

Dumbiedykes Growers are a welcoming bunch that are keen to get other local people involved – whether you’d like to be a regular weekly grower, dip in and out if and when you have time, or just stop by for a chat and cuppa! They meet at the fruit trees on Viewcraig Street on Sunday afternoons if you’d like to see what the group are up to. For more info click here.

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Looking Back at 2024: Before & After Transformation in Oxgangs

November 23, 2024

Oxgangs Growers are a fantastic group of community-minded folk who have made it their mission to restore a sense of pride in their local area by making communal greenspace areas more welcoming for residents – and this year they did just that with some inspiring work!

With support from Community Gardener Stuart, they set about clearing an unloved, overgrown plot next to The Chip Inn on Oxgangs Rd North. Throughout several months of Saturday gardening sessions (10 – 1pm,) they worked hard to remove rubbish, weed the area, and plant it up with biodiversity friendly plants and sensory area. The space is now a bright spot in Oxgangs, and has become a relaxing communal space that’s been well received by local folk, with plans to install benches so local people can meet while waiting for the bus.

Residents of residents of 3 Oxgangs Drive also created a biodiversity border brimming with plants that attract a wide range of creatures and brighten up the area, and built several wooden raised beds to grow fruit and veg (with help from Crumble the dog!)

The welcoming group meet and communicate regularly through gardening sessions, and have forged friendships along the way, often enjoying a bring and share meal together after sessions in the being in the Oxgangs Community Church Hub.

We wanted to acknowledge their dedication at our Harvest Celebration, and presented the group with a Golden Trowel Award to celebrate their successes!

Looking to 2025, they have set up Oxgangs North Tenants and Residents Association to tackle wider issues in the area, and will be getting together to plan their growing activities for next year’s growing season over the winter months. If you’d like to get involved, contact pippa@edibleestates.scot.

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Highlights of 2023

December 20, 2023

As 2023 draws to a close, we are looking back on what we achieved this year in collaboration with our partners, volunteers, and the local people who participate in growing projects across Edinburgh. Here is a look at some of the highlights!

2023 was marked by the Edinburgh Growing Together project, which is delivered by Edible Estates, funded by City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) as the City’s Community Gardening Framework, and by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSP). The project aims to support community gardening on council housing land.

This is the first year we had a full team working on the project. Our Project Manager and Development Officer have been building relationships with existing garden groups and partner organisations, while starting new resident groups to both improve existing gardens, and create new ones. We were delighted to employ seven community gardeners across the city to support growers to achieve their skills and ambitions. Through this, we have been working to:

Increase production of locally grown fruit and veg
Create places and activities that bring communities together
Improve community wellbeing, skills, and knowledge

We delivered 591 hours of community gardening sessions across Edinburgh in 2023, supporting local communities to enjoy activities together, grow local produce, and improve wellbeing.

Launching the Lend a Hand Project

Launching a new project is always exciting as it means getting to know more local people and supporting them with their goals, confidence and skills – and this is no different with Lend a Hand! While our Growing Youth project trains young people in joinery, construction, and horticulture, Lend a Hand aims to do so with people aged 50+ that are out of employment. This is a pilot project, which will be run by experienced workshop leaders. We are looking forward to getting stuck in and seeing how the project develops in 2024.

101 people newly engaged in community growing this year, meaning they spent more time outdoors being active, socialising, and learning new skills.

Bringing Greenspaces Back to Life and Getting People Involved

Greendykes Community Backgreen

The Greendykes garden was locked and out of use prior to 2023. Back in January, we met with a small number of residents to hear what they would like from the space, and from there held weekly community gardener sessions throughout the year to teach residents how to grow and establish the garden. Over the months, the group grew to over ten participants and their families, each taking on a group of raised beds. The remaining planters were used to grow fruit, vegetables, flowers, and herbs communally. We also brought the adjoining community room back into use for shelter and for everyone to enjoy a cup of tea together during sessions. The growers had a great growing season, regularly sharing photos of their harvests and resulting meals on the group WhatsApp.

I would like to congratulate the fantastic garden that you all achieved. Now it is wonderful to look out the window and see so much life.

– Neighbour, Greendykes Community Backgreen

Hawkhill and Nisbett Courts Garden

This garden has 11 plots, each with tool storage, and there are several home-built greenhouses. When we first met the group, there were only four growers and the site needed tidying. Community Gardener Richard supported in clearing the site of rubbish and spreading compost. With the vacant plots clear and ready to use, we advertised them to residents.

We also ran a six-week Grow Your Own course to support new growers in food growing. We are delighted that as the year ends, all plots are now taken, and looking forward to seeing what everyone grows next year.

Mount Lodge Green

Mount Lodge Green is in an area of council housing in Portobello. Locals approached CEC and Edible Estates with ideas to develop the disused greenspace on their street, which had been locked for a long time. They were supported to design a space with a central grass space for perennial plants, a wildlife border, and bird boxes. Community Gardener Paul worked with residents in a series of sessions to plant up the central biodiversity bed and perimeter wildflower area.

We are happy to see that after the efforts of everyone involved, the space has become a place where nature can thrive and neighbours come together to socialise and garden.

We installed 7000 litres of rainwater harvesting across growing projects, supporting gardeners to grow more fruit and veg while reducing water waste.

Supporting the Creation of New Gardens

Hutchison Neighbourhood Garden

The Hutchison Garden has been a long time in the making, so we were thrilled to see it come into being this year after lots of community engagement, planning, and scouting for the perfect site!

The community began building the garden in July, supported by Community Gardener Gaby. Happily, there has been steady numbers of participants, who made fast work of raised bed construction, path building, and edging the forest garden. Growing Youth ASLS sessions also run weekly from the site, which has been a nice way to see two projects work collaboratively.

We were delighted to have the garden featured on STV News whereby residents, who have lived there for many years, commented on how they had gotten to know their neighbours. The garden is quickly becoming a place where the community can gather and make positive change in their area.

It’s been great. There’s people that I’d never met before, I knew their faces but I’ve never actually spoken to them. Now we’re getting on fine. It makes a big difference, not passing people in the street

– David, Hutchison resident of 20+ years and garden participant

Muirhouse Neighbourhood Garden

After lots of community engagement, residents began building their garden in September, with twice weekly sessions from Community Gardener Johanna. These have been well attended so far, and have also seen lots of conversations with passers by admiring the project. Raised beds have been built, the soil is prepped for the forest garden, and winter crops have been planted – all of which sets the growers up nicely for 2024!

We have also hired new Growing Youth leaders to run sessions at the site, which will provide local school-age pupils the opportunity to learn joinery, horticulture, and landscaping skills. These pupils will assist in the building of the garden and the renovation of the garages. Looking to the future, there are ideas for youth sessions with our community gardeners, and a mural project on the vacant garage wall, with young people and local artists. Watch this space!

Broomhouse Orchard

Broomhouse Market Garden has been a huge success in recent years, and Broomhouse Community Growers Association (BCGA) were keen to expand into other greenspaces in the area. We supported them to get permission to develop an orchard, which they designed with the help of orchard expert Jon Hancox.

With funding from Scotmid Orchard and Kew Gardens Grow Wild Fund, and support from Community Gardener Faith, the group set about clearing the site of weeds and rubbish, planting heritage fruit trees, and creating a wildflower area. Compost bays and rainwater collection were provided through Community Gardening Framework & UKSP funds.

The group hopes it will provide a new venue for locals to gather, opportunities to grow, harvest and eat locally sourced fruit, and become a natural space for wildlife and insects to flourish. The before and after of the site is fantastic, and we look forward to seeing it in action in 2024.

We converted 2550 metres² land into growing spaces for local communities, and built or replaced 92 raised beds.

Making Plans in New Communities

Dumbiedykes

In May, we held a community meeting for residents to share their ideas about growing locally, which saw lots of enthusiasm. Community Gardener Johanna then held weekly growing sessions with residents, and worked with CEC Housing Officers to gain permission to develop and maintain growing spaces across Dumbiedykes. Happily, lots of progress has been made! Growers have now built and planted up wooden planters, and developed some small plots with edible plants and those beneficial to wildlife around the area, adding some lovely spots of colour and life to the community. It has been a positive start to the project, with plans for next year to be discussed over the winter.

Oxgangs

This year we have been exploring the idea of creating smaller growing sites across Oxgangs. We worked with Oxgangs Community Church to host meetings in their Community Hub, and see if local people were interested in getting involved in community growing. These were well attended with lots of ideas flowing. Looking to the future, the plan is to start two growing projects, and Community Gardener Stuart is now leading sessions at 3 Oxgangs Drive to develop a biodiversity border and build communal raised beds.

We are pleased with the progress made in the area this year, and are excited to keep planning with residents in 2024.

Inch Plant Nursery Partnership

Edible Estates partnered with CEC’s Inch Plant Nursery to provide 35 gardens with a variety of vegetable, herb, and fruit plug plants, grown by Janice and the team. A total of 5500 plants were ordered across growing projects! The offer was popular among first-time growers, who will hopefully experience a successful 2024 growing season as a result.

Sighthill Primary School Farm Pupils Winning Gold

School Farmers work hard across the school year to grow all sorts of fruit, vegetables, and flowers, while learning about the natural world around them, so we were pleased that pupils attending Sighthill Primary School Farm were recognised at the Royal Calendonian Horticultural Society’s Spring Show Schools Competition. With support from School Farm Leader Shona, P6 & 7 pupils planted daffodils in preparation for the event, which took place in April 2023.. They selected their best blooms for competition, and were delighted to be awarded gold by the judges!

We hope everyone has a fantastic festive period, and we look forward to continuing work with our staff, volunteers, partner organisations, and local residents in 2024. Stay safe and here’s to 2024!

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Project Update: Muirhouse Neighbourhood Garden

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Project Update: Broomhouse Orchard

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Edible Estates Partner With Inch Plant Nursery To Deliver Over 5500 Plants To Community Gardens Across Edinburgh

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Leith’s Citadel Gardeners Are Transforming Their Growing Space

November 10, 2023

The Citadel Gardeners in Leith are a group supported by Bethany Christian Trust, and have been gardening together since 2020, when they restored a neglected site which was being used as a dumping ground. Edinburgh Growing Together is supporting the group by providing a Community Gardener to lead workshops, as well as materials to build growing beds.

Over the last several months, they have been busy transforming their growing space with the welcome support of Community Gardener, Hannah. In July, they took part in a series of Grow Your Own workshops, during which they planted seeds and got to know their soil types and textures.

More recently, the group have built four new raised beds. They worked together to level the area, sift the soil, and construct the beds. This will allow the gardeners to access their plots without bending down so far, making them functional as well as lovely to look at when they’re all planted up! They plan to add a polytunnel lid on one of the beds to extend the growing season.

Keep an eye on our socials for updates about Citadel Gardeners. We are looking forward to seeing how they continue transforming their growing space and getting stuck in to next year’s growing season!

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Project Update: Broomhouse Orchard

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Edible Estates Partner With Inch Plant Nursery To Deliver Over 5500 Plants To Community Gardens Across Edinburgh

Portobello Residents Begin Work To Develop Mount Lodge Green Biodiversity Project

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Project Update: Muirhouse Neighbourhood Garden

November 2, 2023

In 2021, Edible Estates was asked by Community Renewal, an organisation supporting community development in Muirhouse, to identify how community greenspace projects could be developed in the area after a group of local people expressed interest in becoming involved in a greenspace project. Surveys and design workshops revealed local people would like a neighbourhood garden space in their area. After Re:Solution conducted a Greenspace Study in October 2021, a suitable site next to Fidra Court was chosen.

Alongside Community Renewal and Fidra Court Community Kitchen, we then held events to gather ideas from residents and chat about the benefits a neighbourhood garden would bring to the area, and we were pleased to see lots of enthusiasm about growing a sense of community and having a space to socialise and learn new skills. Meanwhile we worked with the Council to secure funding to build paths and fencing for the garden.

The project saw a fun and productive first gardening session on the 10th of September 2023, where local residents got stuck in chatting with neighbours while building raised beds, planting winter crops, and enjoying some much needed refreshments from the lovely team at Fidra Kitchen. We were also delighted to receive a donation of plants for the first session from Inch Plant Nursery. Since then, twice-weekly sessions have been running with the support of Community Gardener, Johanna, and we are pleased to see they have been well attended by the local community. Happily, the garden’s location allows local people to stop for a chat and get involved, which has meant lots of community engagement.

So far lots of progress has been made, with half of the raised beds built, winter crops planted up in the first two planters, and lots of soil prepped for the forest garden. It’s always fantastic to see what can be achieved in such a short space of time when the community comes together!

Looking forward, our Growing Youth team will run sessions at the site to give school pupils the chance to learn some joinery, horticulture and landscaping skills by assisting the community in building the garden, and renovating the site’s derelict garages into a tool storage shed and micro-community hub. Similarly, our new pilot project Lend a Hand will allow individuals who are 50+ and out of employment to gain training, skills, and experience in those same areas by assisting in construction. We are looking forward to seeing these projects collaborate with local residents to bring the garden to life!

Once growing gets going, the garden will provide locally grown, seasonal fruit and vegetables to Fidra Kitchen, and become a community venue for local people and organisations to enjoy and socialise in.

If you’d like to get involved, pop along on Wednesdays 9:30am-12:30pm or Sundays from 1-4pm – no experience required! For more information contact our Community Garden Development Officer, Pippa, at pippa@edibleestates.scot or 07549431528.

You may also be interested in…

Project Update: Hutchison Neighbourhood Garden

Project Update: Broomhouse Orchard

Craigentinny Community Garden: Completed Upgrade

Edible Estates Partner With Inch Plant Nursery To Deliver Over 5500 Plants To Community Gardens Across Edinburgh

Portobello Residents Begin Work To Develop Mount Lodge Green Biodiversity Project

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Project Update: Hutchison Neighbourhood Garden

August 22, 2023

Edible Estates were asked by Edinburgh Council to work with the residents of Hutchison (an estate in the SW of Edinburgh,) to identify ways in which greenspaces in the neighbourhood could be improved with the support of the community and Council. In 2019, we ran a series of community consultations, during which the establishment of a neighbourhood garden in local greenspace was a particularly popular idea among residents. We then conducted surveys of the surrounding residents in 2020 and 2023, which received a majority positive response. Planning permission was applied for and granted in 2023

The new Neighbourhood Garden site is an area of greenspace managed by the Council within a ring of tenements between Hutchison Medway, and Hutchison Avenue. The site can be accessed by a path on Hutchison Medway.

In July, we hosted a community meeting on site, where the design and a plan to get started was discussed with local residents, and at which we were delighted to see so much enthusiasm. Twice-weekly community gardening sessions began a few day days later, and have since seen a steady 8 – 10 participants each time.

The project also welcomed new Community Gardener, Gaby, who got stuck into coordinating the gardening sessions and has been of huge support to participants as they work together to build 30+ raised growing beds, which will become available to locals once completed.

The first session was slow going, as participants were cutting the turf by hand. Though this was hard work, it really brought the team together, and made the process considerably easier. During the second session, a mechanical turf cutter was accessed, which really sped up the process. The group split into two teams, one to build the beds, the other to move the cut turves. The former team proved especially efficient, with raised beds piling up so quickly that more wood had to be obtained.

Across the new school term, our Growing Youth team will be working to build the garden’s large community shed, which will support both the garden, as well as other community activities and greenspace projects across Hutchison. The group are particularly looking forward to this amenity, as it will feature a veranda where they can sit with their neighbours out of the rain, have a cup of tea, and get to know one another.

Participants have commented that they hope the garden will serve as a space to foster relationships with their neighbours, since local shops and community spaces which allowed people to bump into one another no longer exist. They also hope to engage local organisations and schools to come and use the space, and perhaps take on a raised bed to learn how to grow their own produce as a group.

Once the raised beds are in place, next steps include building the paths, and planting up the forest garden border, which will be comprised of fruit trees, bushes, and plants. The group also aim to catch the end of the growing season and plant up some of the raised beds with over-wintering crops. Additionally, the fence around the site will be renovated with gates installed (if households want them,) so that residents living around the site can access it directly.

If you’d like to get involved, pop along to the Thursday and Saturday sessions with Gaby from 9:30am -12:30pm – no experience required! For further information contact our Community Garden Development Officer, Pippa, at pippa@edibleestates.scot or 07549431528.

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Project Update: Broomhouse Orchard

July 17, 2023

In 2023, Broomhouse Growers acquired a new site in Broomhouse, with the intention of creating a community orchard and nature space, transforming the previously abandoned and unloved bit of land. The project was borne from a desire to expand upon the Broomhouse Community Garden, which is a small and highly developed site. The two sites will work to compliment one another and increase the amount of produce harvested for both growers and the wider community.

The group took advice from the marvellous John Cox at ScottishFruitTrees.com, and planted apple, pear, and plum trees quite close together in lines, with the intention of keeping them under 3m tall and therefore easier to harvest from. They were planted after some heavy rain and then mulched heavily with a mixture of sheep’s wool fleece from a local farmer (the birds love to line their nests with this,) and woodchip from a local gardener. So far they are thriving, and the group are looking forward to having plenty of fruit from next year.

Next to the orchard, the nature space is sandwiched between two three-storey tenements – the group recently cleared all the weeds they could (though the docks are proving to be worthy adversaries,) and sowed a number of wildflower mixes from Scotia Seeds. The recent rainfall has been welcome in this respect.

They have also been keeping a look out for a second-hand water tank so they can collect rainwater from a neighbour’s shed roof, and are looking to set up a seating area for community members to enjoy the space, as well as a small wildlife pond and some bird boxes, to try and make the area more attractive to wildlife.