Pirnmill Plotters from the Arran Pioneer Project will be the exhibitors at Arran Library during December.
The group of volunteer gardeners who run the Pirnmill Community Garden will be displaying photographs and drawings in the library to celebrate a year of growing, development and learning.
The photos aim to capture key moments in the transformation of a piece of coastal scrub land into a productive growing area where bracken and brambles have been cleared, hundreds of native trees planted, a pond dug, no dig beds created, and crops sown.
The garden is one of many community gardens operating under the Arran Pioneer Project umbrella and it continues to go from strength to strength.
A donated second-hand polytunnel was erected this year and this has extended the garden’s growing season and seen the range of produce expand to include aubergines, squash, tomatoes, and salad greens in addition to the traditional staples of tatties and onions.
The group of volunteers, who meet weekly for a couple of hours are a welcoming and inclusive group.
Each person in the group contributes in a way that suits them, some tending to the trees, some using their construction skills to build compost bays and fruit cages and others busy with the all-important planting and weeding. The volunteers, many of whom are novice growers, have benefited greatly from local growers who have shared their knowledge and donated seeds and plants.
When asked what they get out of volunteering, Jane Greenstreet said: “For me nothing beats a couple of hours working outside with other people. It lifts my spirits, whether I am turning compost, weeding the beds or just taking a quiet moment sitting by the pond. Taking home a punnet of freshly picked raspberries and a leek or two for lunch is an added bonus!”
Maggie Somerfield added: “One of the things I enjoy is the way we learn from each other and from the experiences we gain by gardening on this challenging plot on the west coast of Arran.”
The exhibition will be available at Arran Library from Saturday December 2, until Tuesday December 19, when the library closes for the festive season.
Further information about other community gardens and the Arran Pioneer Project can be found at pioneerproject.scot.
