Dundee’s Fairmuir Park bowling green is to become an edible garden to allow locals to grow and share food.
The disused site has been chosen as one of 13 Unexpected Gardens around Scotland, thanks to a new creative programme called Dandelion.
It attempts to show even the unlikeliest of places can bloom.
And it encourages new gardeners to get green-fingered.
The plan comes nine months after locals won their fight against proposals to develop Fairmuir Bowling Green.
Alexander Community Development (ADC) withdrew its vision for a new training centre and community cafe amid overwhelming opposition.
Residents said they wanted to keep the green space.
But they are delighted with the latest plan, which also involves the Friends of Fairmuir Group.
Dundee University and Creative Dundee are on board too, along with the city council.
Fairmuir harvest festival
Dandelion is driven by the concept of “sow, grow, share”.
However, it’s not just talking about food – it also shares ideas, music and scientific knowledge.
In Dundee, this will involve using the knowledge gained from growing the garden to create an almanac.
It will include information on seasonable edible plants and flowers.
And the garden will host events throughout the year, culminating in a community harvest festival in September.
Professor Mel Woods from Dundee University is co-leading the Dundee Unexpected Garden.
She believes own-grown food helps communities connect and can produce benefits for wellbeing and the planet.
We are excited to see the space transform.”
Linda Findlay, Friends of Fairmuir.
And she said: “Dundee is becoming very well known for its vision and commitment to own-grown food.
“We’re hugely excited to support the transformation of the former bowling green at Fairmuir Park and working with Friends of Fairmuir to celebrate food and creativity in Dundee.”
Meanwhile, Linda Findlay, from Friends of Fairmuir, said: “We are excited to see the space transform and are looking forward to working with the Dandelion team to make that happen.”
Leven’s Unexpected Garden
Other Unexpected Gardens are scattered across Scotland, including one in Fife.
And the project will convert the Leven Community Centre car park in to a sustainable market garden.
Locals are being asked for their views.
They will be asked how the space should be developed and how to make it accessible to all.
And a series of consultation events will take place until September.
Each of the gardens will have a musician in residence who will create new work.
