News from Granton Castle Walled Garden

Early March was welcomed by blizzard conditions at the walled garden but spring is returning and the birds singing again. The Friends Group will be hosting another drop-in Open Door noon tour and would love it if any of the garden volunteers would like to help or just come along to catch up with everyone and have your say about the latest plans for the garden’s restoration.

The garden will be open from 12-2ish Saturday 17th March. (unless it is bucketing with rain or snowing then a cancellation will go out via Facebook on the day)

Lots of energy and enthusiasm from teams of volunteers this autumn and winter as we undertook some major clearance of invasive scrub from the old orchard. Some footage of our winter progress Written in Film – Granton’s lost castle garden

A huge thankyou to everyone who has contributed and kept going despite terrible weather and difficult working conditions. Bird nesting season has started again so and we will be focusing on planting the cleared areas and making things for the garden like plant supports and seating, perhaps a firepit with all the reclaimed bricks onsite.

Volunteers at the garden may be aware things are a little up in the air with our access to the garden as the city council take over ownership of the walled  garden from the previous owners Waterfront Edinburgh Limited this spring.

We sincerely hope that paperwork can be sorted out quickly to allow this community led secret garden restoration to continue at the end of March and the Friends Group committee are doing all they can with advice from Federation of City farms and Community Gardens Scotland and the Community Land Advisory Service.

All volunteers welcome over the next few weeks as we begin planting the first new fruit trees at the garden in decades, lots of holes needing dug!

Planning our first couple of rows in the community orchard, ideal growing conditions, spacing and aspect for some apples and damsons from the wishlist.

Demonstration of

PS please note the garden was left untended for 12 years so is still in the infancy of its restoration. There are no toilets, running water or indoor heated space to shelter fro the elements.

There are hazards at the garden including muddly paths, broken glass and poisonous plants so please be advised if you bring children you will have to keep an eye on them and not let them run about for their own safety.