Eddleston Orchard springs back to life
Last Saturday, a group of local volunteers set to restoring Eddleston’s orchard, planting a variety of regional heritage fruit trees.
Back in January 2025, Storm Eowyn had blown one of the old apple trees down in the village orchard. After the fallen tree, said to have been planted on the Queen’s Coronation, had been removed, a few Eddleston folk realised that this might be a good opportunity for local volunteers to rejuvenate the orchard.
As Eddleston Orchard is depicted on maps from the middle of the nineteenth century, the Eddleston and District Community Council thought it would be a good idea to plant with local and regional heritage apple trees and other fruits in what is a local heritage orchard. Following research by one of the orchard’s neighbours on Station Road, Eddleston Community Council purchased six Scottish Heritage Fruit Trees and invited volunteers to help plant them on Saturday 29 March 2025:
James Grieve – this is an eater apple from Edinburgh. It gets its name from its breeder, James Grieve, who gave his name to this variety specially bred in Edinburgh some time before 1893 to suit the Scottish climate. Born in Peebles, Grieve was apprenticed to a local nursery at the age of twelve and worked in the gardens of Stobo Castle before moving to Edinburgh as a nursery manager. He eventually set up his own family business with his two sons. Grieve was well known for his successful hybridisation of many flowers and he produced a number of award-winning new apples.
Bloody Ploughman – this is an eater apple from Perthshire with a spectacular deep red colour, said to have sprung from the bloodied heart of a ploughman shot for scrumping. The story goes that the ploughman was caught stealing apples on the Megginch estate and shot by the gamekeeper. His wife got the bag of apples and threw them on the compost heap where a seedling then grew.
Lothian Red – an eater apple first grown at Roslin.
Stobo Castle – originating from the Borders and Clyde Valley this is both an eater and a cooking apple. It has a deep golden colour with a scarlet flush; Stobo Castle cooks to a sharp creamy froth. It was named by David Storrie of Glencarse.
Hessle Pear – This is an old Scottish grown variety, propagated from the Threave collection. Also known as the ‘Hazel’ pear, this old variety is named after Hessle near Hull in East Yorkshire where it was first recorded in 1827, though is almost thought to be much older. Small greenish-yellow fruit overlaid with some russeting, the flesh is white, juicy and fairly sweet. The main advantage of this pear is that it is extremely hardy and reliable, has some resistance to scab, canker, and mildew, and will grow and fruit just about anywhere. Not a pear for storing. It is also an ingredient in jams and traditional ‘Spice Cake’.
Gordon Castle Plum – This variety of plum was bred by John Webster, head gardener at Gordon Castle near Fochabers in Moray and first recorded in 1864. It is a late dessert plum. It has large yellow oval fruit, with a pink blush where it catches the sun, that ripen in September. The fruit is soft and juicy and best eaten ripe.
Thanks to the eight local volunteers, the village orchard now has seven new trees (one volunteer brought along a crab apple tree to add to the orchard).
