New community garden starts to take root at V&A

First plants placed in public space created to link the museum with the city

Work has begun on Dundee’s V&A Museum community garden.

Volunteers reacted to a call to arms and helped place plants into the community space yesterday morning.

The garden itself was created by both green-fingered volunteers and professional designers.

According to V&A Dundee director Philip Long, the community garden and the V&A itself are for the whole city, not just for tourists visiting the development.

Mr Long said: “We’ve worked very hard to help make the V&A something that is at the heart of the community.

“It’s been important for us to be out there working with people across communities to get a sense of what their aspirations and hopes are for V&A and how it might make a difference to their lives.

“So, while we are still quite a bit off opening, we are already realising projects like this.

“We’ve been working with communities across the city, the region, and country to hear what people want and to help generate opportunities for people.

“We want V&A Dundee to be something which makes a difference to people’s lives.

“It (V&A Dundee) has always been rooted in the city. One of the major aims of the V&A Dundee is to help make a difference to this city.”

V&A Dundee communities producer Peter Nurick said yesterday’s development had been two years in the making and is testament to the hard work of local people and designers.

He said: “This project started with a co-design process involving adults in the

We want the V&A to be something which makes a difference.

city living with and recovering from a range of complex mental health conditions.

“Now, we’re having volunteers from across the city involved in the planting and hopefully long-term maintenance of the community garden.

“This project has been about connecting the V&A Dundee with the city.

“The garden’s location, directly opposite the museum, is a real tangible link between the city and the museum.” I don’t do much gardening, I would have to concede.

I spend a lot of time lazing around sunning myself in the garden or, in rare of moments of activity, kicking a ball about, but actually gardening? Not so much.

My mum, like many middle-aged people, is mad keen, but it’s never been a pastime I have had much of an interest in.

You can forgive me then if I was a little surprised when I was asked to place a plant at Dundee’s new V&A Community Garden.

While I was happy to oblige and to help in a very small way, my immediate concern was trying to keep my suit jacket clean.

However, that is not intended to be in any way dismissive of the importance of this project.

Despite my lack of gardening prowess, I can completely see the value of such a facility existing in Dundee city centre, yards from the eagerly anticipated V&A Museum.

This garden will act as a wonderful relaxing area for locals and tourists to explore and to put their feet up while reflecting on the achievements of their day.

And while I may not be donning garden gloves and picking up a trowel again any time soon, the V&A Community Garden is yet another step in the right direction for Dundee.

The importance of outdoor space cannot be overstated.

This facility, when it is opened, will act as a wonderful asset to people flocking to the City of Discovery for years to come.

Picture: Alan Richardson. V&A Dundee director Philip Long and V&A Dundee communities producer Peter Nurick with the volunteers.

analysis Jamie milligan