The Reporter happened across the Community Garden in Duddingston where volunteers, Nick, Jo and Richard, welcomed us with a tour of their orchard and vegetable garden. They also have some chickens and sell eggs from the garden shed. The community group have leased a further 2.5 hectares above The Causeway from The City of Edinburgh Council for just over a year now, and the area is being used to open up a space for healthy exercise, gardening and enjoyment of the wonderful views.
The group have already drawn up a map of the field and planted over 1000 native trees as well as creating a tree nursery. In fact if you still have a Christmas tree with roots on it then you can take it to the tree nursery and it will be looked after until next Christmas!
The gardeners have already planted around 50 apple trees, all varied Scottish varieties, but plans are afoot for around 150 trees in total. Anyone who wishes can contribute to their Golden Apple Fund to help fund the development of the Orchard.
The new Measured Walk is sited in the field and aims to provide a sheltered environment for exercise, has been funded with a grant of £2,000 from the Scottish Community Foundation. This is a route with six benches to provide a resting spot for walkers along the way with views to Craigmillar Castle, the Pentlands and the Firth of Forth.
And here is our little tour around the garden to show you what a nice space this is.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
