MISSION STATEMENT : Wigtown Youth Garden Project is a project established by young people, designed by young people and created by young people each and every year. With some help and advice from local neighbours, aunts and uncles etc., the garden benefits local residents in the whole of Wigtown but mainly in the cul-de-sac area of Seaview. The Garden Project has been running for almost two years now and it is going from strength to strength with excellent progress being made each year/season.

BACKGROUND: It all started in early 2006 when a local tenant of DGHP and uncle approached us and asked if we had any ideas about what we could do about the plot next to his house. This plot had been used for machinery and equipment during some renovation work to the houses and was left in a poor state. We suggested a garden and the next day approached John Robertson from the Booktown Company and asked if he could help us. We discussed our idea and he told us about the plans for the ‘Wigtown in Bloom’ competition and about ‘Beautiful Scotland in Bloom’. From there we wrote to the Dumfries & Galloway Housing Partnership asking if it would be possible for us to use their plot. All was agreed by DGHP and, following further meetings and planning, eventually a beautiful garden was made within the space of one weekend.

2006 (Part 1) The garden was made in the cul-de-sac of Seaview, tenants and other community members combing their efforts to dig the land, put wood chippings in place, make flower borders out of rocks from a local farm, blocks from the sawmill and plants from a nearby nursery. There was a donation from DGHP, a bench donated by a local tenant, barrels from the distillery, tools, varnish and plastic sheeting from another tenant and soil and compost from a local farm and coal company.

2006 (Part 2) After the judging in 2006 of ‘Wigtown in Bloom’ DGHP picked up on one of the judges recommendations for the garden which was to run a central path through the garden to improve access for the disabled. A concrete path was placed through the existing garden, again with much of the work carried out by young people. From then on we have maintained the garden with the assistance of local tenants by regular watering, feeding and re-planting when necessary.

2007 At the start of the year we gave an interview to The Galloway Gazette garden section writer to tell him about the Youth Garden Project and our plans for 2007. Shortly after, we met with the local DGHP information worker to discuss and plan an application for funding from the DGHP Community Pride Fund. Fortunately we were successful and after visiting a panel of tenants around the region were awarded £940.

With the funding in place we met with local contacts Garvis Kelly and Margaret McKeand, local community learning and development worker Liz Sullivan and Chamber of Commerce President Angela Everitt to discuss the purchase of goods. After taking the best advice offered we purchased our goods and, keeping regular contact with the group, we have ended up with a lovely garden, designed and created by young people for the benefit of local tenants and maintained by young people with supervision and support from neighbours, family and friends. We hope to continue our wonderful success in years to come and have a 2007 Part 2 in next years Portfolio and from generation to generation the ‘Wigtown Youth Garden Project’ will strive for excellence!

William Saunders & Ryan Heron,

Co-ordinators, Wigtown Youth Garden Project