The Neighbouring Orchard
The Neighbouring Orchard is a dispersed orchard formed of 200 apple trees planted across North East Edinburgh and Musselburgh. Grown by individuals but rooted in community, the trees are grown everywhere from front gardens to children’s play parks. An ongoing, ecological artwork, The Neighbouring Orchard was commissioned by Art Walk Projects in 2020.
The project is funded by the National Lottery Awards for All, Creative Scotland, Musselburgh Common Good Fund and The Mushroom Trust.
Walking Wassail!
Community song leader Jane Lewis worked with local growers to co-create a new wassailing song for the Neighbouring Orchard. On Saturday 24th January 2026 we held our first ‘walking wassail’, visiting some of the apple trees and singing our new song to them.
Wassailing is an ancient pagan tradition that has been practiced for centuries. It is carried out in the winter months when the trees are bare. It is an occasion of singing, drinking and merriment, where bad spirits are warded off from the orchard and good health for the apple trees is bestowed.
Read the full song sheet here or listen below.
The Neighbouring Orchard Book
Published in 2022 by Art Walk Press, the book fuses essays, interviews with the Neighbouring Orchard growers and archive maps. Illustrated and written by Annie Lord with photographs by Ellie J McMaster. An excerpt of the book can be read here.
Recent Press
Let Them Eat Books: a podcast hosted by Claire Reynolds and Colin Herd
Pellicle Mag:
‘Close to the Tree – Pochle, Edinburgh’s Communal Apple Spirit’ including Annie Lord & The Neighbouring Orchard, January 2026
Read here
The Herald:
‘Edinburgh project to turn neighbourhood into orchard‘ 1 Dec 2023
Read here
Edinburgh Evening News:
‘Apple tree growers wanted for Edinburgh’s community orchard with a difference‘ 30 Nov 2023
Read here
The Neighbouring Orchard by Annie Lord:
Article: The Neighbourly Orchard, Linseed Journal, Volume 1: The Apple, Nov 2022
Review: Caught By The River, by William Arnold, Read here
Interview: BBC Radio Scotland, with Nicola Meighan, Sept 2022
The Sunday Times:
‘Neighbours’ orchard rooted in lockdown isolation blossoms in Edinburgh gardens’
Jean West, July 26, 2020
Read here