Bees - on flowers in the Nature Walk (June 2017)

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1 Brighter Bucksburn Beautiful Scotland Portfolio 2017 Bees - on flowers in the Nature Walk (June 2017) Trees - Cherry trees blooming at Miltonfold in May Birds - Ducks on a pond beside Howes Road (September 2016)

2 Page 1 Introduction - Our Philosophy Bucksburn is a sprawling urban community on the outskirts of Aberdeen, with much post World-War-2 housing and little in the way of public parks and green space. Brighter Bucksburn was set up some years ago as a sub-group of the Community Council with the aim of improving the environment through introducing more plants and trees. Because of the relative lack of green space, we have relied quite heavily on using troughs and planters. However, attention has also been paid to two somewhat neglected green areas - a small wood, and a Nature Walk laid out many years ago between a main road and a railway line, the first with help from the local academy and the latter with a grant from TESCO Bags of help. The Nature Walk has an abundance of wild flowers, with something new to look at throughout the year. We have established a community herb garden, with a grant from Awards for All; in which fifteen different species of culinary herbs are available for all to pick. Nearby, a grant from Aberdeen Greenspace enabled us to add a small orchard. Improvements generally have been designed for year-round interest, aiming to have something in flower every month of the year. Consequently, we have relied as much as possible on perennials, including bulbs, and introducing trees and shrubs. We raise as many of our own plants as we can, using cuttings and divisions from our own gardens and sowing seeds. Where possible we have tried to use interesting and unusual specimens - we hope that passers-by may stop and say What s that? I never saw one of those before! - even, maybe I d like to grow that myself! One of our beds in June 2016

3 Page 2 Horticultural Achievements 1 Herbs for All. The herb garden was established with a grant from Awards for All, and the help of Bucksburn Academy pupils and members of the Community Council. It now provides 15 species of herbs for all to take and use. Fennel, thyme and mint grow with great gusto; basil and coriander present more of a challenge. Newly painted June 2017 Fruit for all - one day soon! A small orchard was later added with a grant from Aberdeen Greenspace. It presently comprises four apple trees, a plum and a damson. The trees have not yet been allowed to bear fruit. June 2016

4 Page 3 Horticultural Achievements 2 Bucksburn Fountain In the historic centre of Bucksburn, a formerly neglected bed is now a riot of colour in summer time (2016). We aim for round the year interest, Nearby the historic lamp is enhanced by vigorous phormiums and cascades of delosperma. Spring bulbs and primulas are tucked in any vacant space. A sunny seat surrounded by honeysuckle is becoming a favourite place to eat a packed lunch or takeaway. beginning with witch hazel and hellebore s in January, with crocuses and daffodils to follow....

5 Horticultural Achievements 3 Page 4 Greening Grey Concrete. A large area paved over in the interests of traffic management has long been an eyesore. Having failed to get permission to remove some slabs and replace them with plants, we have resorted to planters, We began with this rescued dolphin trough (September 2016) but it looked lost on all those slabs, and we agreed that the local florist should take it over and look after it. We then resorted to collecting as many planters as we could, many being rescued and repainted. The collection was enhanced by a three-tier planter provided by Barratts, looking good here in the springtime. April 2017

6 Page 5 Horticultural Achievements 4 Bulbs are planted in such green spaces as we have. Here, (February 2017) crocuses planted by pupils of Brimmond Primary School enhance such an area beside a major road. Nearby an alpine bed has been created, including silver birches and a flowering cherry. Some 200 dwarf bulbs, including species crocus, added colour in early spring (Newly planted August 2017)

7 Page 6 Environmental Responsibility 1 Caring for the Nature Walk - The nature walk was established many years ago, but had been neglected. It is a strip of land between a main road and a railway, and runs for almost one kilometre from near the centre of Bucksburn almost to the Haudigan roundabout The path was very muddy and often wet, and the steps at the entrance at the eastern end were dilapidated to the point of bring dangerous, especially as there was no handrail (left- Autumn 2016). A layer of granite dust made the path negotiable and the steps have been repaired and a hand-rail added ( right- Spring 2017). A ramp means that the steps can be negotiated by cyclists, and even by a push-chair.

8 Page 7 Environmental Responsibility 2 Seats discarded when the Rowett Institute was closed, have been saved and stored. Some have been repainted and installed in the Nature Walk (March 2017). The rest will be used elsewhere as needed. The dolphin planter, another discarded item, was rescued and remade back in August 2016 and after a brief sojourn elsewhere it now graces the front of the florist s shop (May 2017).

9 Page 8 Community Participation 1 Litter picks are organised from time to time. These are in the Nature Walk, with young and old taking part. (Sept & Nov 2016 & March 2017). Amongst the helpers, local councillors and ministers may be recognised. Brimmond Primary School pupils wanted to help, but it was a long way for small people to walk. First Bus provided vouchers to get them there. (June 2017)

10 Community Participation 2 Page 9 Both the primary school and the academy have helped. Primary pupils planted the crocuses shown earlier. Pupils from the ASN wing of the academy made bird and batboxes, from kits using recycled wood; these have been installed on trees in the Nature Walk. May 2017 November 2016 The wider community has not been idle, helping with bulb and tree planting, sometimes assisted by ACC employees as part of our partnership arrangements.

11 Finances and the Future Page 10 A major grant from Tesco Bags of Help paid for upgrading the Nature Walk. Money remaining is earmarked to provide explanatory displays and informative leaflets. An Easter Egg hunt this spring attracted some fifty people, many previously unaware of the facility and we hope to build on this. We plan a Fungal Foray in the autumn, and hope that local schools will increasingly use the area as an educational facility. A steadily increasing number of hanging baskets are funded partly by the community council and partly from the sales of a local calendar, designed and printed locally. Plants for the various planters have been paid for by a winning environmental award from the Eco-City contest. Expenses are kept low as far as possible by producing plants from seeds, cutting and divisions. Awards for All enabled us to build the Herb Garden, and a grant from Aberdeen Greenspace paid for the orchard trees. We have also received donations from the Beacon Cuppa, a local community facility. A very touching donation was from an anonymous member of the public, who came up to one of our volunteers while she was working and handed her a 20 note because we were improving the area so much. Future plans include establishing a grove of unusual trees; a start has been made on this by planting a small tulip tree, which is flourishing. A ginko and a weeping spruce are suggestions for the future, and if climate change continues we might try a paulownia or a Judas tree. Partners who have helped financially or in-kind TESCO Bags of Help National Lottery Awards for all Grow Wild Brimmond Primary Bucksburn Academy TSB bank Aberdeen City Council Barratts Homes Beacon Cuppa Flowerscene Parkhill Garden Centre Ben Reid First Bus Staging Post Chalmers HS Milne Butchers Jack Taylor, Fish shop Loftus Signs C Mckenzie Joinery Mackenzie Printers

12 Page 11 Appendix - Nature Walk We cannot legitimately list the Nature Walk under horticultural achievements, since most of the plants were there long before Brighter Bucksburn was established, and continue to take care of themselves. Nevertheless, the area is a major local asset, and we are delighted to have played our part, by improving the path and the access and adding more native plants and trees. We therefore list some of its joys as an appendix to our portfolio. Rescued snowdrops Hazel Catkins Orchids Summer Marsh Thistle Autumn Berries Winter Fun

13 Page 12 Appendix - Nature Walk Meadow in full wildflower bloom June 2017

14 Page 13 Appendix - Developer s Contribution Barratts Builders have recently constructed a large number of houses at the east of Bucksburn, to the north of the Nature Walk. In conjunction with this they have landscaped a large area. The have opened up the previously hidden Bucks Burn, now spanned by two footbridges, and provided a pleasant walk that ends at a bridge over the railway. That bridge is only some 50 metres from the beginning of the Nature Walk, so that taken together they provide over a mile of green walking interrupted by only a brief stretch of main road. Before - The Bucks Burn as it was. After - A new footbridge over the burn provides a view of the running water. We saw dippers on this stretch, and the area has been visited by deer.