Dunnikier Park Edible Landscape – First Trees Go in the Ground!

Last Sunday 2nd February I turned up at Dunnikier Park Hotel Car Park 09:30 and waited nervously for Margaret and Andrew Lear to arrive with 84 fruit trees from their nursery in Bankfoot.  I was nervous about making sure we got the right trees in the right place.  I was nervous about whether we’d get enough volunteers giving up their Sunday to get the trees in the ground.  I was nervous about the weather.

The trees were to be our first step in creating a new ‘Edible Landscape’ in Dunnikier Park, with apple, pear, plum, cherry and quince trees lining paths criss-crossing it and 4 special ‘Forest Garden’ beds providing a range of edible produce – from fruits to nuts, leaves and roots.

By 10:30, about 20 folk had shown up eager to get digging and planting and Andrew was soon demonstrating how to plant, stake and guard an apple tree.

It was then that I saw a small army of Cubs, Scouts and their parents come marching over the field towards me, brandishing spades and looking keen.  Now I was nervous we wouldn’t have enough trees for everyone to plant!  I was overwhelmed by the turn out from people from the community.  It’s great that so many people care about their local environment and are excited to be part of creating something new in their park.  In no time we were in the Dunnikier House Hotel warming up over a bowl of soup feeling proud that we had sown the seeds (or seedlings) of an exciting new project.  Click through the slideshow below to see our tree planting troops!

A big thanks to everyone who turned up and got stuck in!  We’ll be back to add to the Forest Gardens in March.