AN EMERGING community garden in Sauchie is set to open to the public at the end of August.

Sauchie Gardening Group, under the umbrella of the Resource Centre-based Sauchie Community Group, has developed a friendly space with sensory plants for everyone to enjoy at Mar Place.

The group has been growing in scope since it started as a plant exchange around two years ago; soon members were planting daffodils around the green space behind the Resource Centre.

As reported last year, the group was also responsible for sprucing up the Main Street with half-barrel planters, there are now 27 of these and they are all maintained by the group with new plants put in twice a year.

The latest venture, which saw them transform a patch of land across from the Mansfield Arms, was made possible thanks to a nearly £20,000 grant from the People’s Postcode Lottery and further support from the Robertson Trust.

On Friday, August 30, the group will be holding an open day to celebrate its completion and are currently in the final stages of the initial process.

However, as with any such project, the work will carry on to maintain and improve it, with plans to expand into another area to enhance a separate bit of green space, turning it into a natural, more wild, garden.

The community garden features raised planters, a train planter which was named the Flower of Sauchie by the Gartmorn Class at Lochies School as well as some cherry trees – a number of which are new as it was discovered some of the existing ones were rotting.

There is a path to go around as well, making the space accessible to everyone with the garden open from dawn to dusk.

A number of benches were also put in place last week, these were sponsored by members of the group and will feature memorial plaques, adding a personal touch and there are plans to add a water feature too.

The group, where the youngest is 1 and the oldest is 87, is also hoping to gain more members.

Flo Mackenzie, of the group, said: “Anybody that wants to come join the group and help us [is welcome] because we are not finished yet.

“We are in communication with the council and we are hoping the next space past this one [on Mar Place] – we are thinking about turning it into a natural garden.”

Members of the group meet every second Friday, the next one coming on August 9, between 1pm and 4pm at Sauchie Resource Centre or ask about the group on the Sauchie Community Group Facebook page, alternatively call Flo on 01259 721 674.