Gardens receive beautiful awards
Wheatfield and Hailesland triumph
Two flatted communities in South West Edinburgh have been presented with awards by Beautiful Scotland.
Wheatfield Backgreen Association won a Silver Gilt award and the Jim Murdie Trophy for Sustainability, while Hailesland Park was presented with the Permanent Landscaping Award as well as a silver gilt medal certificate in the flatted community category.
The Wheatfield Backgreen is the shared garden of residents of tenements blocks on Gorgie Road, Wheatfield Road, Wheatfield Place and Smithfield Street.
Every Sunday there is an informal gardening group, where people come out to the backgreen to help with gardening and even hold barbeques if the weather’s good.
The group, which has been running for five years, was praised by the judges for having “the type of synergy that professionals seldom achieve”.
The judges added: “They have been doing so well without any advice that we don’t want to give any in case this special garden loses its flavour!”
When residents of the three tower blocks at Hailesland wanted more colour in their surroundings eight years ago, they began a gardening group which has resulted in them being heaped with awards and praise.
Last year, the Hailesland Park Gardening Group won the high flat village category in Britain in Bloom.
The concierge team at Hailesland, led by Lorna Martin and Susan Crawford, have taken over from resident Moira Thomas, and have been running the project for the last couple of years.
“We have 40 residents who are all involved in some way,” said Lorna.
“The rest of the residents love the garden and the quiet areas where they can sit. Even if residents don’t like gardening, there is always something they can do, from coming along to jumble sales to coffee mornings.”
Beautiful Scotland judges commented: “Hailesland Park can only be described as a complete community landscape designed and maintained by the community.
“This wonderful area with planted beds full of colour and texture set within and around a series of themed gardens is both unexpected and a delight.”