Edible hedge forms part of city's Britain in Bloom scheme

An "edible hedge" was planted at Pilrig Park yesterday to launch Edinburgh's Britain in Bloom bid this year.

It will be made up of plants that produce edible crops, which will be used to provide local food such as jams, chutneys and jellies.

Rose hip, sloe, crab apple, elder, rowan and hazel will also be planted and used.

When fully grown, the hedge will consist of 500 to 600 plants.

Residents in the area will be able to help themselves to the produce and pupils at Pilrig Park School have produced a recipe book featuring ingredients from the hedge.

The scheme is a partnership project between the city council and Greener Leith.

Special needs pupils from the school yesterday helped to plant the hedge, which is around 100m long and also includes dozens of trees.

Fifth year pupil, Ryan Galletly, 17, said: "I'm looking forward to making jam with the blueberries when they're ready."

Science teacher at the school Andrew McRoberts, who also helped to plant the hedge, added: "We have got a lot of mixed fruit growing within the school grounds and this will give us another source of supply. The kids love taking part in this sort of thing.

"It will probably be a couple of years before the hedge is fully grown."

Edinburgh is competing with Bristol, Milton Keynes and the Borough of Brent (London) in the large city category of Britain in Bloom 2011.

Judges will visit Edinburgh in August and will be taken on a tour of the city's horticultural highlights, before the winner is announced in September.

Edinburgh's "green credentials", ranging from the prettiness of the floral displays to how the city deals with graffiti, will all be judged.

It's also hoped that the edible hedge will reduce the amount of graffiti in the area as it is planted against a wall which was previously vandalised.

A hedge of similar size, although not edible, was planted in the park three years ago and achieved an almost 100 per cent reduction in graffiti.

Councillor Robert Aldridge, the city's environment leader, said: "The 'edible hedge' is a novel idea to launch this year's bid. Not only will it promote community engagement, but it will make a real difference to the park itself."

Charlotte Encombe, of Greener Leith, added: "The first part of the hedge was planted in 2008 with the help of local volunteers and children from Pilrig School, and it has been extremely successful in preventing vandalism.

"The native plant species are good for local wildlife and we hope that in years to come the hedge will produce the ingredients for many a pot of hedgerow jelly."