THE FRUIT BASKET OF SCOTLAND

Despite the amount of imports of fruits in the UK nowadays, there was a time when the production was much larger and richer. In Scotland, next to Glasgow, there is an area that used to be known as the Fruit Basket of Scotland due to the rich fruit that was produced there.

Since the 12th Century, the Clyde Valley’s fertile soil has made possible the growth of rich fruits, but it was in the 1800s when it became a major force in Scotland’s food industry. By the end of the century, the area had become a 20-mile strip of orchards that run from Bothwell to Lanark following the river’s shape and sloping down to its bank.

The first records of the orchards are from the 12th century when King David I gave the land to monks so they could grow apples, pears, figs and plums for him and the royal family. Then in the 1800s, the orchards became one of the main resources of fruit production in Scotland, producing a large number of gooseberries, strawberries, currants and Victorian plums. During the 20th Century, the Orchards were producing high quantities of fruits and were a profitable business, so workers immigrated from Ireland to work in the Orchards; and school children from nearby towns such as Motherwell would be drafted to work in the crops, which would be later dispatched all over the country.

Tomatoes were also a big crop in the area, they were grown in glasshouses that were all over the valley.

The first glasshouses appeared in Lanarkshire due to a disease wiping out a large area of strawberry crops and the increasing competition of import prices. The glasshouses became the standard method to grow fruits, vegetables and flowers that required more heat. Moreover, this allowed for the crops to grow all over the year while being protected from the harsh weather.

The increase in gas and oil prices along with the impact of imports caused the demise of most of the glasshouses. Nowadays there is only one tomato grower left and most of the glasshouses have been reformed into cafes, garden centres and even nurseries.

The Orchards Now

At the end of the 20th Century, the orchards slowed their production because of the arrival of other imported fruits such as the red Macintosh, originally from Canada, which decreased the demand for Scottish apples. As well, large pieces of land in the area were bought by private investors that wanted to build houses in agreement with the local authorities.

Currently, the Clyde Valley is still the area that concentrates more Orchards in Scotland. Although there is a rising interest in the orchards, they are still facing many difficulties like lack of economic resources and the multiple changes in land ownership, and therefore, many of the orchards have been abandoned or are not being used to their full potential.

Most of the trees in the orchards are more than fifty years old, but there are a lot of indications that there are many new trees as well. However, the estate of the orchards shows that they are not being taken care of, affecting their production. As well, even though some of the owners of the orchards claimed to use the fruits in their homes or as gifts to friends and families; however, due to the lack of management in the orchards, most of the produced fruit goes to waste.

Current state of abandoned orchards. All photos are property of the South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Libraries and Museums Service.