Green-fingered resident in Larkfield community garden plan

Kirsty Cairns hopes to transform the vacant site off Banff Road into a space where Larkfield residents can grow vegetables, keep bees and spend time around nature.

The 47-year-old began cutting back the site, which used to house garages, around a fortnight ago and has already made significant progress.

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With offers of help now coming in from people and groups across Inverclyde, she is hoping to have the area ready towards the end of the summer.

She said: “Nobody knew who owned this area, so it wasn’t being maintained for well over 10 years. The garages were all taken down and it was really badly overgrown.

“I was the only person with access to it, so I would come in and cut it back as best I could, but then I decided the area was just going to waste.

“I always wanted to have a community garden but it never went anywhere, so now I’ve decided just to go for it.

“I’ve approached the council about obtaining the land and they’ve been very helpful.

“They’re very accommodating and they love the idea.”

Kirsty has big plans for the area, which include adding planters and beehives to make it more environmentally-friendly.

She added: “I want to put bedding boxes in for fruit trees and growing vegetables and then put a community garden bit at the bottom where people can sit, congregate and talk.

“I want to keep honey bees too, as it would be good for the environment.

“I want to open this place up to the community at points during the week and we can all work on it together. The whole point is to have the whole community working on it and learning as they go.

“Lots of people are now offering help and I’ve got organisations coming in to offer free assistance and equipment.

“It’ll be open to everyone no matter who they are and anyone who wants to help just needs to get in touch.”

Kirsty hopes  the new green space will be somewhere everyone in the estate can enjoy.

She said: “I’ve got no gardening background, but I have a lot of community background and this is well needed.

“I couldn’t have done it without help and support from people all over Larkfield who have been so encouraging and excited about the project.

“I have to thank Allan from A&K Garden maintenance, who was an amazing help, and Councillor James Daisley for all of his advice.

“I am also grateful to Lee Trotter from CVS Inverclyde, Johnny and his team from Home Depot who gave us a generous amount of wood to build with for free, as well as Alice and Julie from Inverclyde Food Network and Ross Elder Plant Services for all of his help.

“The council planning department have also given me help and support.

“We need a bit of community spirit, the things that are in place don’t work for everybody so that’s what I’m trying to do here.”