Walled garden project

Back in 2009 we met in Penicuik Town Hall on Sunday 8 November to follow up on tasks set at our 11 October gathering there and the site visits to exchange information on progress and priorities, sketch out the next steps, and how best to work together to
restore the walled garden off Carlops Road at Penicuik estate

• increase food growing opportunities all over Penicuik
• develop a local produce market
• Spread the word about growing and local food
• Exploit health and education aspects of local working gardens
• Help similar garden projects across Midlothian
• Partner schools and other organisations

We started back on Sunday 26 April 2009 with a public meeting in the Town Hall to explore a community food growing project for Penicuik. Whether they had youth or experience to offer, or were potential users of healthy local produce, or were on the waiting list for an allotment, or just interested in finding out more, over 50 people came along. They came to see The Power of Community (a 50 minute film about peak oil and food growing in Cuba) and to find ways for Penicuik to develop a more satisfying and sustainable future. They looked at prospects for growing food in a general community project in the old upper walled gardens of the Penicuik estate off the Carlops Road, a more particular residents' example behind the Peebles Road at Alderbank, and at other places in the town.

The meeting was introduced by Roger Kelly, one of the advisers to the Scottish Government's Climate Challenge Fund, and speakers included Bosco Santimano, founder of the Peebles-based food initiative You Can Cook which is active in Beeslack High School
All over the world, community targets are being set. President Obama is leading his nation to a lower carbon future, London's mayor is aiming to reduce London's carbon dioxide emissions by 60% and decentralise 25% of its energy generation by 2025. Already in nearly 120 projects around Scotland supported by the Climate Challenge Fund, local groups are working together to devise ways to live better for less, whether by insulation projects, walking buses, micro power generation, and food projects like the Fife Diet (think global, eat local). Many communities have become involved in the Transition Town movement. In Edinburgh, Backgreens are being improved for food and recreation.

The meeting considered increasing food growing in gardens, creating a public growing project and more self-run allotments. Carrying forward projects like the walled garden and Alderbank will need careful negotiation with landowners, sensitivity to neighbours, attention to safety and security, and a lot of hard work. We showed pictures of points of access and some of the land involved, including aerial views showing each site's extent and context. Local resident Morag Macdonald described Alderbank and the need for child-friendly outcomes. Dalmeny walled garden grower Alexis Beddoe explained the advantages of forest gardening and fresh local herbs. 40 people left their names for future contact, keen to take ideas forward and keep up the momentum. Penicuik Community Development Trust's charitable status can shelter and support the project at least to start with. Find out more at the Trust's Saturday Open House in the Town Hall, via 677854, and on the project website www.makers.org.uk/penicuik/food .