The King’s Park Walled Garden Scottish Heritage Orchard and Fruit Guilds

Over the winter of 2021-22 Glasgow City Council undertook a project to repoint the walls in the walled garden at King’s Park in the south of the city.  This involved removing the ivy and most of the climbers on the wall leaving a blank canvas waiting for development. 

Inspired by our ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ assessor and supported by John Hancox of Scottish Fruit trees, the Friends of King’s Park raised funds to establish an orchard along the north wall.  This south-facing wall is ideal for growing soft fruits. 

Scottish Fruit Trees provided old and rare varieties of Scottish apple trees to ensure their survival.  These were planted out by the Friends and volunteers in November 2023 and March 2024. They have been planted as cordons. 

Cordon fruit trees are simply trees grown as a single stem, with all the fruit swelling on short laterals immediately off this central stem. Cordons are normally grown at a 45-degree angle for the simple reason that this increases the length of the stem, and hence fruits, at picking height. Cordon trees require a summer and winter pruning to ensure they grow correctly, incorporating a soaker hose to ensure the trees receive sufficient water during dry spells.

The principle behind a Fruit Guild is to create a supportive plant community that, within a short period, is almost self-sustaining with the objective of ensuring maximum yield from the main fruit species around which the guild is created. 

The fruit trees, be they an apple, pear, plum, are not the only productive or edible plants within the collection. These plants are dual purpose in that they attract pollinators and beneficial predator invertebrates, which in turn attract birds to predate on pests.  

Plants that have the sole purpose of attracting pollinators are included but again they may also provide green mulch through ‘chop and drop’ or as a weed suppressant. 

Two crucial planting elements that may serve additional dual benefits are the nitrogen fixers and the nutrient accumulators. 

The nitrogen fixers take in atmospheric nitrogen and hold this in specialised roots structures and, over time, this organic nitrogen becomes available to the soil ecosystem. 

Nutrient accumulators are herbaceous plants with deep tap roots that are able to draw up nutrients and minerals from deep within the soil. These can be released from the plants either by using them as a ‘chop and drop’ green mulch or allowing end of growth season decay.  

4. Perennial layer –edibles, pollinator attractors and nutrient accumulators 

5. Ground Cover –edibles, pollinator attractors, green mulchers, weed suppressors 

Examples of plants...

1 apple, pear (medium vigour rootstock) 

2 apple, plum (smaller rootstock) 

3 red current / blackcurrant, broom, blueberry 

4 comfrey, hosta, cardoon, artichoke, geranium 

5 strawberry, sage, chives 

The first two Fruit Guilds were planted in Spring 2024, with a further two being added in Spring 2025, with the aim of engaging and promoting the philosophy and approach to creating edible and biodiverse perennial plantings; and to draw those in the community who have an interest, or have been seeking such a project to participate in.  

When established, the orchard and fruit guilds will create links to the wider community and beyond, providing both a learning and sharing experience with existing similar set ups and will hopefully provide inspiration for new projects to be brought forward.  

Wayne Travis Assistant Manager Greenspace and Biodiversity at Glasgow City Council said: 

“It’s been great to work in partnership with the Friends of Kings Park on the installation of the Fruit Guilds and Heritage Orchard. 

“Not only has an under-utilised space been brought back into productive use, but we’ve also been able to enhance the biodiversity of the space. 

“The orchard and fruit guilds will provide access to local produce and those involved are able to enjoy outdoor activity and work with other volunteers which is positive for physical and mental health.” 

Food Growing - Glasgow City Council

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More and more people in Scotland want to grow their own fruit and vegetables but land availability is a big challenge. greenspace scotland champions the development of the Our Growing Community model to support communities in urban scotland to take a more holistic and strategic approach to community food growing.

Food Growing Publications

Find publications here to support groups and individuals interested in food growing, including the Our Growing Community map and guidance notes.

Food Growing Case Studies

Explore some case studies from previous projects, including the lovely Edible Twechar map and GrowClacks.