The Orchard Project been collaborating with City of Edinburgh Council and Friends of Saughton Park to improve their orchard as part of a large renovation of Saughton Park. Orchard Project’s Chris Macefield, explains:
Saughton Park has recently undergone a refurbishment, and HRH Princess Anne officially reopened the park on the 6th June. The Orchard Project, in partnership with Bulmers, were called in to assist with improving the orchard that lies within the park. We’ve provided trees, training, technical advice and tools for this community project.
HRH Princess Anne officially re-opens Saughton Park following an £8million refurbishment. Photo by Greg Macvean.
We supported the Friends of Saughton Park members by facilitating the planting of over 40 fruit trees in this historic walled garden, demonstrating how to grow trained trees, such as espaliers, cordons and fan forms. The fruit varieties planted include plum, apple, pear, quince, fig, peach and mulberry.
Sarah Bennett, one of the Friends of Saughton Park members, said: “We started out by visiting other orchards and talking to fruit experts and tasting apples before we selected any varieties. It’s been great fun and fingers crossed we will soon have fruit to eat. As a group we are so excited at what lies ahead – we have plans to plant a wild fruit orchard and organise apple days and blossom picnics.”
HRH is the patron of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, which is another partner organisation involved in developing the park. The royal opening was a great celebration of the commitment from local residents and the groups active in supporting the park.
HRH Princess Anne in Edinburgh Photo by Greg Macvean
There are plans to develop further areas for fruit growing within the park, along with dedicated wildlife habitat zones, in addition to a ‘Physic Garden’ with lots of interesting medicinal and culinary herbs.
To get involved in this exciting project, contact Sarah Bennett on friendsofsaughtonpark@gmail.com
FRIENDS of SAUGHTON PARK
The Friends of Saughton Park are an active and engaged group who wanted to include a community orchard as part of the park’s regeneration.
The Orchard Project have been working onsite since last year, running foraging and grafting workshops and the park’s Garden Party to share the orchard plans with the wider community. The Orchard was planted last winter and the Friends are forever engaged and enthusiastic and are often the first to sign up to trainings, visits and events, which The Orchard Project organises.
The Friends group really appreciate the support of The Orchard Project, which has given them focus for developing their site. They submitted an application for the Edinburgh Orchard Summit this year organised by TOP, and won £400 to improve their orchard’s watering system. They ran an Apple Day this year in collaboration with The Welcoming Centre, a space for refugees.
Rona is the Secretary of Friends of Saughton Park group. She is retired, and recently moved back to the area. She has been very active supporting orchard events at the park and further afield.
The Orchard Project supported her to attend a Permaculture Design Course, the skills from which she has used to support on design trainings for the orchard in the park. Being involved in her community orchard has helped her to embed back in the community after being abroad for many years.
Shona is also part of the Saughton Park orchard group, and acts as the Chair of the Friends group. She is a fiercely enthusiastic orchard leader, and has attended many trainings and events with TOP, including supporting the Apple Day event at the Royal Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh.
Shona used to work on the cheese counter at Waitrose and has recently got a new job with the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society to run their grow & learn courses. This change of work and sector was made possible, in part, by her involvement with the orchard.
