Tucked away in dense woodland on the outskirts of Haddington in East Lothian lies an imposing 18th century walled garden that has been restored from an overgrown wilderness into a vibrant and welcoming community garden.
At 8 acres in size, Amisfield Walled Garden is one of the largest walled kitchen gardens in Scotland. Enclosed by 16 foot high stone walls, and with an ornamental circular pavilion in each corner, the garden was built to impress visitors to the estate as well as delivering a steady supply of fresh fruit and vegetables to the house. Like many such gardens, the cost of upkeep led to a steady decline from its heyday in the 1800s to a state of dilapidation and neglect in the 20th century.
The project to renovate Amisfield Walled Garden has been led entirely by the local community. Since work started in 2007, a group of energetic and dedicated individuals has taken on the task of setting up a charity, obtaining a long term lease and planning the development of the project. The dual aim was to create a garden with year round interest for the enjoyment of visitors, as well encouraging volunteer gardeners of all ages and abilities to learn a wide range of horticultural skills.