Waste ground to bear fruit as orchard vision takes root

SOME of the world's rarest apples will soon be growing from trees in the neglected back greens of Leith.

A community group is to plant a selection of fruit trees, which are found only in a handful of UK orchards, on a patch of waste ground off North Junction Street.

Greener Leith, which has set up the scheme, hopes it will lead to the overhaul of more tenement back greens in the area – many of which are overgrown and unused.

Charlotte Encombe, one of the organisers, said: "Hopefully over time people will find reason to come out and pick the apples and speak to each other.

"This is very much the start and we think it will have wonderful results."

The apple tree saplings have been provided by Ayrshire-based horticulturist John Butterworth.

He has replanted some of the world's rarest apple varieties – such as the Coul Blush, the Beauty of Moray and the White Melrose – at his orchard nursery in Cumnock.

"It's a conservation exercise as much as anything else," he said. "Apples nowadays taste the same and a lot of these rare apples you just cannot get your hands on. I still have a few young trees I need to sell within the next couple of weeks and I'm looking forward to seeing the results in Leith.

"Some of these apples grow on maybe only one or two other trees in the world."

The planting ceremony will take place on March 5 at the Persevere Community Garden – currently a nondescript triangle of land owned by a variety of Leith community groups.

Greener Leith chairman Alastair Tibbitt said he hoped the garden would become a popular community facility.

He said: "Just as we hope that the apple trees we're planting will bear loads of fruit in the future, we hope that the garden itself will grow from the neglected green desert it was a year ago into a fun, productive and welcoming place that will benefit the whole community."

And he said the planting project could be extended to other back greens in Leith, helping to build community spirit and reviving areas that were once the focus of communities.

Leith councillor Gordon Munro agreed that the Persevere Garden could be the catalyst for further improvement.

"I welcome this opportunity to make Leith greener as well as making Leithers fitter and healthier," he said.

"Turning this abandoned space into a community garden is a great idea and I look forward to seeing it in full bloom."