Warm welcome as more than 150 people gather for Rattray Community Garden open day

More than 150 people attended an open afternoon at Rattray Community Garden on Saturday.

Those who visited the garden made the most of the warm sunshine to enjoy tours of the site off Balmoral Road led by some of the volunteers who are spearheading the development of the community-owned facility.

There was also a chance for people to plant their own salad, a plant and produce sale, a mini beasts hunt, refreshments and home baking, a raffle and a bric-a-brac stall.

Lesley McDonald is operations officer for Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust.

She said: “Congratulations to all the volunteers at Rattray Community Garden for creating such a wonderful space and organising such a welcoming event.

“It’s been a very successful afternoon and it was great to have so many local people visit the garden and see what the team has been doing.

“People were able to use the different spaces in the garden to relax and soak up the atmosphere, sample produce, and make their own salad to take home.

“Rattray Community Garden is for everyone to enjoy, whether they are interested in gardening or just want to relax in a peaceful environment.

“On behalf of the Trust and all the volunteers involved in making this space the very special place that it has become, I would like to thank everyone who came along to the open afternoon and supported what we are doing here.”

Blairgowrie and Glens Conservative councillor, Caroline Shiers, said: “Well done to everyone involved in the transformation of the Rattray Community Garden.

“From an overgrown and neglected space it is now restored to an oasis of well-managed, productive, vegetable and fruit beds, beautiful borders and polytunnels.

“The transformation is down to sheer hard work of volunteers and I wish everyone well as the garden develops.

“The saying that to be truly happy you just need access to a library and a garden is clearly very true.”

Fellow Conservative elected member, Bob Brawn, added: “It was a marvellous afternoon and great to see so many people supporting the garden, which has developed so much in recent months.”

To find out more about the garden, follow ‘Rattray Community Garden’ on Facebook, see www.rattraycommunitygarden.org.uk or email info@rattraycommunitygarden.org.uk.

Alternatively, pop into the garden between 10am and 1pm on Wednesdays or Saturdays.