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Rattray Community Garden - How we got here!

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2020 - Background

Rattray Community Garden was home to award-winning environmental group Blairgowrie and Rattray in Bloom for a number of years.

Back In 2020, following an extensive public consultation exercise, the purchase and redevelopment of the community garden was highlighted as something that local people wanted.

Rattray Community Garden

2021 - Land Purchase

The following year, the opportunity came up to buy the land and the site was secured as a community asset for the town by Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust (BRDT) thanks to support from the Scottish Land Fund.

Rattray Community Garden

2022 - Facilities Redevelopment

Work on the redevelopment of the site began in 2022. This involved clearing a number of years of overgrown vegetation - and discovering two outbuildings in the process – and in the summer of that year BRDT and Blair in Bloom were delighted to receive £60,000 from the Scottish Government’s Shovel Ready fund to go towards installing utilities and other facilities such as paths, greenhouses and raised beds in the garden

Rattray Community Garden

2023 - Facilities Redevelopment Completion

Early in 2023, the utilities were installed and the polytunnels refurbished. In the spring, new footpaths were laid and a new greenhouse built. A planting plan was developed and the garden officially opened in the summer.

Rattray Community Garden

2023 - Steering Group - Garden Development

A steering group made up of representatives from BRDT, Blair in Bloom and others was set up to oversee the redevelopment of the community garden and a volunteer-led committee is now in place to manage the facility, supported on a day-to-day basis by our dedicated coordinator.

Rattray Community Garden

2023 - Next Steps - Garden Development

Garden Design

We are working with Paul from Balhary Nature's Delights, Walled Garden to design the planting regime and how we will create a facility for locals to access and benefit from.

Building Development

We have planning permission to renovate 'The Bothy' to provide a rest area, kitchen and disabled toilet and to demolish 'The Gig House' as it is beyond economical repair. We are seeking funding to support this activity.