LARKFIELD locals believe they have planted the seeds for a successful community garden as their exciting bid to transform a barren section of land continues to take shape.
Dozens of residents have been giving up their time over the last few months as part of a colossal effort to clean up and revitalise a derelict site off Banff Road.
Hard-working volunteers have cleared the area, built planters and installed beehive, with one local business generously agreeing to remove 60 tonnes of rubble from the site free of charge.
READ MORE: Green-fingered resident in Larkfield community garden plan
The project, which has been dubbed the ‘Larkfield Guerrilla Garden’, was thought up by resident Kirsty Cairns, who told the Telegraph she was delighted with the support it had received.
She said: “The land we’re working on here is the council’s and they have been 100 per cent behind us.
“They’ve been trying to help us set up a constituted group, all the councillors have been in and it’s been such a big help.
“We’re so determined to make this place a success.
“We’ve had dozens of people helping out and it’s an ongoing effort, there’s not a day that there aren’t people in here working.
“We’re trying to feed people for free and it’s a fantastic thing we’ve got here.
“Since we started, we’ve moved tonnes and tonnes of rubble out, Caskies were amazing and did that for us for free.
“They took so much away, I think it was around 60 tonnes.
“We’ve now added beehives, which everyone’s loving, and we’ve cleared the area to put in some bedding boxes.
“We’re going to keep adding more raised planters and start growing here.
“The community up here don’t have much and we’re working hard for this.
“There are a lot of people we need to thank, we’ve had a group of SNP councillors up who helped us out.
“Audrey Galloway and Calum McLellan have also been fantastic with their support and Calum has helped our group with an asset transfer proposal.
“As I said, the council and Caskies have been brilliant too and we’re really grateful for their help.
“We have a brilliant team of people who have worked exceptionally hard in here for us.”
Frank McAllister, 63, who has lived in Larkfield since 1965, said he and other long-term residents couldn’t believe the transformation that had already occurred.
He added: “I’ve been here since 1965 and my old man used to have a garage in here.
“The place has been shut for over 40 years I’d say.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw what they’d done in here, it’s fantastic.
“I’ve been bringing all the old people in who are still living in this scheme and their faces are amazing when they saw it.
“They all want involved because they’re all gardeners and they want to do a wee bit.
“This will be brilliant once it’s done.
“When the good weather’s in and we can all come down, it’ll be amazing.
“We’re going to add a big shed and a sitting area, but I’ll no be putting that in, it’ll be the young team doing that.
“I’ve just been here to give some pointers.”
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