A neglected and overgrown garden on Forres High Street is being transformed into a welcoming educational and wellbeing space by local gardening fanatics.
Green Fingers Community Garden was originally created about two years ago, when it started in a council house, but more recently it has moved to a disused close next to Asher’s Bakery.
Avid gardener Steve Storrs said he’s been trying to arrange a space with Moray Council, but it was leading nowhere, until he was told about the space beside the bakery.
He said: “It’s an old Victorian tiered garden. We approached Ashers and asked whether we could take it over.
“We drew up plans to show them because we knew that a lot of people had been turned down for it.
“We showed what we wanted to do, expecting them to say they’d think about it.
Rent-free
“But they didn’t. They said they love what we wanted to do. Go ahead! And it’s rent-free.
“So, we started.”
Steve explained that the garden was filled with brambles from top to bottom, and they’ve slowly turned it into a space for flowers, bushes, edible plants, herbs, and even poisonous plants that they will use to educate people on foraging.
The garden goes all the way down the Mosset rose garden, and Steve is hoping they’ll be able to make a through route, using a garden gate that is currently wildly overgrown.
“My mum got me into gardening from a very young age, and I absolutely loved it.
“Anything that there is on gardening, I’ve read. I’m just a sucker for knowledge.
“We’ve put in more than 1000 plants, and we’ve still got a fair bit still to do. We’ve started this ecosystem, and once we’ve got the water as well, it’ll be absolutely perfect.
“We’ve already got badgers down at the very bottom. Foxes, rabbits, field mice, pollinators, butterflies and birds. It’s a real natural haven right in the middle of town.”
Steve is supported by fellow gardener Steve Clemson, and volunteers who come by to help.
Together, they have created a seating area near the top, so people can bring food and drink from the bakery, and sit outside to eat it.
Open to the public
“It’ll be open to the public as well,” he added, and said that they aim to create a national collection of fuchsias.
“At the bottom end of the garden we’re putting two ponds in, one at the top, one at the bottom, feeding all the way down.
It’ll have all fairy houses all lit up, hidden everywhere.
“And the trees will all be lit up as well.
“The kids that come in, they’ll spend hours just trying to find all of these.
Worshops
“We’ll have our workshops, to teach everything from basic to advanced gardening – taking cuttings, grafting, to hybridizing roses.
“Anything that anybody wants to learn. Woodcarving, pyrography – everything to do with nature.
“So many people are scared of bees and wasps, and everything else. We teach how they’re part of the ecosystem.
Steve finished off by saying: “If we have our dream, once it’s finished, we would like it to be the centre of the community. We would like it being used constantly by everybody.
And if you fancy pitching in, volunteers are welcome.
Ashers Secret Garden will open fully to the public soon, but for now it’s open to visitors and volunteers from Monday to Saturday 8am to around 2pm, just to the left of Ashers Bakery. Everyone is welcome to sit, chat and enjoy.