A remarkable green space rooted in the social and environmental history of the Gorbals, where local people have long played a central role in reclaiming the land for community use. Now buzzing with life, it’s hard to believe this space was once home to the Gorbals Burial Ground- a cemetery for the local community, created in 1715 with funds raised through a fireplace tax (or ‘reek money’). 

 

By the 1960s, the burial ground had been cleared and the land left unused until the early 2000s, when artist Amanda Currie was invited to work with local residents to create public art on the site. Together, they designed and planted the orchard as a ‘living artwork’- a space designed to grow with the community where everyone could access a place of belonging in nature. 

 

Since its planting, the orchard has 

flourished under the care of local 

volunteers, the community council and Glasgow City Council. Guided by nature and left partially wild, it now supports a vast selection of fruit trees and edible berries, selected specifically for the west of Scotland’s climate. Today, the orchard is both a haven for wildlife and a shared source of seasonal produce- free for anyone to enjoy throughout the year.