Milngavie in Bloom
Beautiful Scotland
Milngavie in Bloom 2019 Milngavie, originally in Stirlingshire, was located in an area that became an enclave of Dunbartonshire on the orders of King David II (1324-1371). The town lies to the north west of Glasgow, about 7 miles from the centre of the city, situated in the valley of the Allander Water and River Kelvin, at the foot of the Campsie Fells. Despite this proximity to Scotland’s largest conurbation
Milngavie has a quite separate identity and character. Milngavie began as a corn mill on the banks of the Allander Water, milling the corn grown by the many surrounding farms. It developed into a busy market town transporting agricultural products to Glasgow. Textile mills played an important part in the development of the town, along with associated print works, bleaching and dye works. A paper mill, laundry and aerated water factory also contributed to later industrial development. At present industrial activity is limited to a few industrial estates. Retail and service businesses are centred on the pedestrian precinct.
Points of interest in Milngavie Starting point of the West Highland Way, Scotland’s first and world-renowned long distance walking route, opened in 1980 Antonine Garden, a replica of the Roman Bath House excavated in nearby Bearsden (recreated from the Glasgow Garden Festival of 1988) Conservation area and listed buildings – Gavin’s Mill 1664, Corbie Ha’ circa 1800 and Milngavie Railway Station 1863 Lennox Park gifted to Milngavie Town Hall, and the Lillie Art Gallery bequeathed by local banker Robert Lillie and opened in 1962 Town centre pedestrianised in 1974 with Copland & Lye clock donated to Milngavie Town Council
Milngavie in Bloom Established in April 2008 with 5 members Clean Sweep litter picking formed in July 2011 Present committee: Chairman Douglas Cameron, Vice-chair Evelyn Parbrook, Secretary Tim Rhead, Treasurer Norman MacLeod, Clean Sweep Convenor Rona MacLeod, Membership Secretary Ian Pascoe, Minute Secretary Sandra Wilson,
Fundraiser Anne Craw and Committee Member Sue Scott.
Achievements
Awarded Silver Gilt medal certificates in Medium Town category in 2015, 2016 and 2017 Awarded Community Involvement Award in 2015 Awarded Greening Grey Britain Special Project award by Royal Horticultural Society for work on the West Highland Way Awarded Community Champion award by Milngavie Community Council in 2017 Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 We celebrated our 10th anniversary in 2018 and planted the Community Bed to acknowledge this milestone. We planted a large floral ten on the right-hand side and a variety of small plants, representing the surrounding environment on the left-hand side with a slate “river” bisecting the bed, representing the Allander Water,
topped with a model water mill.
July 2018
We held a celebration in late July attended by the Provost and representatives from several local organisations.
The Allander Walkway project links to the West Highland Way, but is very different, being a community project with a group of residents from the Allander Road estate joining with Milngavie in Bloom.
Phase 1 involved bulb planting and creating two beds of flowers at the entrance to the estate.
August 2018
Phase 2 is focussed on the restoration of a 1970s garden in the middle of the estate. Named The Italian Garden, and built on a series of shallow terraces the garden originally won a prize, and is of an unusual and original design with big rock sculptures.
The aim here is not only to restore the garden, but to revitalise the community and become a focal point for meeting and talking to neighbours.
June 2018 Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Our West Highland Way team, made up of Ramblers volunteers alongside Milngavie in Bloom volunteers, has met almost every month, excepting winter months, for the past 5 years. Enthusiasm has not waned and the achievements can be seen in the rich variety of planting including a stretch of wild flowers.
Our efforts to improve the soil condition on the West Highland Way flower borders are certainly showing results; over the past two years we have added over four cubic metres of composted bark, multipurpose / ericaceous compost when planting, and fish, blood and bone, chicken manure pellets and seaweed meal as fertilisers. Selective pruning of the trees now allows more light for under-planting which has also helped growing conditions. September 2018
The maturing and new planting now has something in flower everyday of the year! Something the regular passers-by comment on and share their enjoyment of seeing what is coming up throughout the seasons. Walkers on the West Highland Way also comment and show their appreciation. Some perennials are thriving, such as campion, geraniums, cirsiums and mallow that have been lifted, divided and replanted in the borders. Having a better understanding from our experience of the challenging growing conditions we have planted astilbies, goats beard, more hostas, foxgloves, and bluebells, snowdrops, pachysandra and epimediums in the shaded areas under the trees.
We received a gift of 5 saplings from Jo Swinson MP donated by the Woodland Trust as part of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy. The trees, hazel, rowan and silver birch have been planted in various locations.
November 2018
We have maintained colour throughout the town all year round starting in spring with the snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils, bluebells and primula before the summer bedding is planted.
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019
Spring 2019
We delivered nasturtium seed to six schools and have received information about the planting from three schools. Two schools have used the nasturtiums to brighten up their own playgrounds, however, Clober Primary have planted the nasturtiums in their herb garden.
To protect the beds in Kirk Wynd from parked cars the council engaged a contractor to build a stone wall that meant we had to raise the ground level. We removed all the shrubs and plants from Kirk Wynd in March and in May we added compost to the bed. The bed has now been replanted with new shrubs and herbaceous
plants.
March 2019
May 2019
Carers Link garden continues to be developed by a willing group of volunteers, who have taken over pruning the shrub hedging as we were not happy with the way the Council cut it at the wrong time of year and so it did not flower.
April 2019
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Regular litter picking sessions have continued twice every month throughout the year.
April 2019
As 2018 was Milngavie in Bloom’s 10th Anniversary we held BIG CLEAN SWEEPS in spring, summer and autumn.
At our Big Spring Clean in March 2019, we had 55 volunteers who collected 82 bags of litter, which were removed by the Council. March 2019
Staff from Tesco and McDonalds joined in, helping to drag supermarket trolleys, traffic cones and other heavy items out of the Allander Water.
March 2019
Drinking dens in the local woods are a big problem and we have had work parties hacking down huge swathes of brambles in order to reach the underlying cans and bottles.
Some of our solo volunteers keep certain roads clean on a regular basis, which is a huge help, as new litter appears daily due to the increase in new housing and traffic.
September 2018
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019
A few of our volunteers have formed the Upstream Battle Anchor Group, monitoring litter in and on the banks of the Allander Water over a twelve month period, as part of a survey of River Clyde tributaries for Beautiful Scotland.
February 2019
One of our committee members also participated in the Source to Sea Week, collecting litter from the Forth and Clyde canal during May.
May 2019
Mosshead Primary School organised a litter clearance by pupils and parents. We were able to lend equipment and volunteers.
The Council has responded promptly to every report of fly-tipping that we have made to them.
The Council has provided 3 new very large bins in the precinct and we have commissioned 2 large dog fouling posters, in an effort to deter dog fouling.
Thanks to a donation from the local gardening club we were able to purchase two 6-foot long pickers which are a boon for collecting litter through the railings down on to the river bank.
Although we are frequently disheartened, many residents tell us that we are making an impact on the cleanliness of our community.
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 We were contacted by the staff of this outdoor travel company who offered their time to help with our work. Groups of six or so came to help us on three occasions at the Italian Garden, the Ellangowan Bed and the Community Bed with great results.
October 2018
June 2018
July 2018
Clober Primary School
Pupils grew sunflowers from seeds we provided and we were invited to the schools Eco assembly to see the results for ourselves.
We gave the school some pallets to use for raised beds.
September 2018
In March a few of us helped pupils to plant 60 trees donated by the Woodland Trust in the school grounds. March 2019 Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019
We donated and erected a polytunnel at the school where they could grow herbs from seed, as we asked the school to plant up the Community Bed.
May 2019
Milngavie Youth Centre
We have held work parties with the youths to assist in the weeding around the Centre.
October 2018
Carers Link
A few of our volunteers help to maintain the tranquil garden at Milngavie Enterprise Centre where Carers Link have their offices.
Our volunteers also helped the Young Carers at a seed planting evening.
November 2018
June 2019
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019
In the current financial year we have benefited from two anonymous donations totalling £14,800, a reflection, we think, of the general appreciation by residents of our efforts to enhance the appearance of the centre of Milngavie.
We also received a donation of £1,500 from the Dunclay Trust, £250 from Volunteering Matters (Action Earth), £500 from East Dunbartonshire Council, £370 from Waitrose, £100 from Scottish Water, £100 from the Charities Trust, £100 from Baldernock Garden Club and £742 from Gift Aided donations.
Over recent months, however, we have spent approximately £10,000 installing a 'Hiker Statue' at the southern entrance to Milngavie, in memory of the late Tom Hunter who was mainly responsible for proposing the idea of the West Highland Way.
As a result of this expenditure, and together with normal ongoing costs, our reserves at the end of May 2019 were £28,000.
In future we intend to use the funds created by the anonymous donations to establish a reserve equivalent to an ongoing annual spend of some £12,000, the surplus monies being spent on a capital project which will not involve additional volunteer commitment.
In 2018, our tenth year in existence we initiated a letter campaign to raise funds from those residents who are unable to join our work activities but who appreciate the work of our volunteers. We hand-delivered over 1,600 letters throughout the town. By the end of May the campaign had raised £1,200. We are also promised regular monthly donations of £120 through direct debits or standing orders. Many of these payments are also Gift Aided, adding further to our funds.
Theme 1 of the BID’s Business Plan 2019 – 2024, Enhancing Town Centre as heart of the community, lists Maintenance/Improving Green Spaces to be delivered by Milngavie in Bloom with a budget of £18,500 over 5 years.
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Create a business plan for the next five years
Establish a budget for next year
Work closely with the Development Trust on mutual matters
Work with Rotary on their ideas for the Community Bed next year
Liaise with the BID manager on the BID’s “green” plans
Contact local GP surgeries and health clinic
Strengthen our contacts with the schools
Make more use of the polytunnel at Milngavie Primary
Consider replacement of older wooden barrels with Amberol barrels
Consider applying to ScotRail for a second Wee Train
Construct low wall around the Community Bed
Tackle the landscaping in Mugdock Road car park
Continue to deliver fundraising letters to the remaining residents
Publish a fundraising calendar again
Publish greetings cards again
Publish a floral walk leaflet
Consider an exhibition of 10 years of Milngavie in Bloom
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019
Beautiful Scotland
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019
Appendix
Newspaper cuttings Volunteers Calendar 2019 Horticultural Achievement continued Community Engagement continued
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019
Volunteers Calendar 2019 Meet outside the Fraser Centre Clean Sweep 1st Wednesday and 3rd Saturday 10.00 – 12.00 Gardening 2nd Wednesday and 4th Saturday 10.00 – 12.00
Wednesday Saturday January Clean Sweep - 19 February Clean Sweep 6 16 Gardening 13 23 March Clean Sweep 6 30* Gardening 13 23 April Clean Sweep 3 20 Gardening 10 27 May Clean Sweep 1 18 Gardening 8 25 June Clean Sweep 5 22 Gardening 12 29 July Clean Sweep 3 20 Gardening 10 27 August Clean Sweep 7 17 Gardening 14 24 September Clean Sweep 4 21 Gardening 11 28 October Clean Sweep 2 19 Gardening 9 26 November Clean Sweep 6 16 Gardening 13 23 December Clean Sweep 4 - Spring Clean Up
Milngavie in Bloom is a Registered Scottish Charity No. SC041480 Email: [email protected]
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 The stalled space at Victoria Place that we took over last year, with the aid of a Stalled Spaces grant from the council, has now been created into a tidy area by a contractor. We are now in a position to plant it with low maintenance shrubs
May 2019
The pupils and helpers from Clober Primary planted up the Community bed this year. They had grown all the herbs from seed. John McLellan from Beautiful Scotland paid a visit to the Eco committee. We found it really interesting to hear all the work they have achieved and how much they have learnt about gardening and wildlife.
May 2019
The Antonine Garden has been maintained regularly this year. After weeding in April we added a layer of composted bark. It is wonderful to see so many wild orchids continuing to develop under the trees. The lilies are self-seeding so we will leave them to develop.
June 2019
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 We now have an enclosure to place leaves for composting, a composter and three green bins, located at our shed, to put our weeds and old plants in for the council to compost with the rest of Milngavie’s green waste.
We have reused plants as much as possible in other places when they outgrow the containers and railing planters. The ones remaining are put on our plant stall for volunteers and friends to give a donation to Milngavie in Bloom.
June 2019
We are fortunate to have an abundance of wildlife that uses the Allander Water as a corridor. We have frequently spotted the heron and kingfishers and otters have also been reported.
June 2019
There is also a variety of birds that use the pond at the Community Centre where the Development Trust, with the aid of Mugdock Rangers, renewed the swans nest. The Trust have further plans to naturalise the edges of the
pond.
June 2019
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 In June 2016 we celebrated the work we had achieved on the West Highland Way and invited Jimmy Macgregor to officiate. Jimmy was leaving our celebration to attend the unveiling of a statue to his friend Tom Weir at Balmaha. A short while later some of our members went to Balmaha to see the statue and were inspired to consider a statue in Milngavie. One of our members, a former art teacher created the initial concept. We approached a couple of fabricators with the sketch and asked them if they could provide a cost.
We hoped that our proposal would acknowledge the importance of Milngavie as the start of the West Highland Way.
The bed at Southgate had been emptied of plants by the Council and gravel and large boulders were installed by Tarmac Quarries, at no cost, in preparation for the erection of the statue. We contacted a structural engineer who provided engineering advice free of charge. We applied for planning permission to erect the statue. Once planning permission was received we appointed a local landscaping contractor to construct the concrete base. On completion of the base the statue was erected. The landscaping contractor also planted the plants in the gravel and laid the slate path. A commemoration plaque will be installed shortly.
June 2018 August 2018
March 2019 April 2019
May 2019 May 2019
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Scouts
The local scout group always join us for the Spring Clean Up
March 2018
Mosshead Primary School
Although slightly outside our area we lent litter picks, gloves and tabards for the pupils and parents at Mosshead Primary to carry out a litter pick in May and also helped them plant up some barrels.
May 2019
Glasgow Academy
The pupils on the Eco-Schools Committee planted the nasturtium seeds donated by Milngavie in Bloom into three hanging baskets which now hang in the school grounds.
Other pupils planted the three barrels next to the play park in the precinct.
June 2019
May 2019
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Milngavie Primary School and Milngavie Early Learning and Childcare Centre
The Early Learning and Childcare Centre contacted us to inform us that the Centre is now operating for 52 weeks of the year and previous difficulties of watering plants during the summer holidays have now been resolved.
We will have discussions with the Centre about use of the polytunnel.
East Dunbartonshire Council
We have a close relationship with the Streetscene department of the Council.
The Council provide the hanging baskets throughout the precinct.
We have also been liaising with the Roads department to prevent cars parking in Kirk Wynd, a narrow street where we have been refurbishing a bed.
In 2018 we finally took possession of a shed, provided by the Council, where we can store our tools and equipment.
July 2018
June 2018
We were awarded the Community Champion award at the East
Dunbartonshire Business Awards in May 2019.
Milngavie Town Centre BID Ltd
We have cooperated with and supported the formation of the BID since its inception 5 years ago. The BID has just been re-voted for a second term.
The BID purchased the 6 Amberol beehive planters in the precinct.
We assist with the planting up of the BID planters twice a year. We also water on an almost daily basis and maintain the planters frequently.
April 2019
May 2019
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Milngavie Community Development Trust
We have worked with the Trust on Milngavie Week. We organised seeds and small greenhouses for children at our plant stall. We participated in the Fair of Clubs organised by the Trust held in the Town Hall in September 2018.
One of our volunteers is a Director of the Trust who is trying to find a community growing space that Milngavie in Bloom would be able to use, including supporting the orchard project and planting snowdrops in Lennox Park.
There is also a sheltered group of 4 lads learning gardening techniques, planting the barrels at the salmon ladder and keeping the area weed free.
September 2018
Milngavie Community Council
We liaise with the Community Council on matters of mutual interest.
The Community Council has provided grants to Milngavie in Bloom for various projects.
Gavin’s Mill Fairtrade
Some of our volunteers have joined forces with members of Baldernock Garden Club to restore the gardens around the Mill.
Milngavie Old People’s Welfare Committee
We use the Fraser Centre for many of our meetings.
The Fraser Centre frequently provide a welcome cup of tea when we are working nearby.
ScotRail
We have been ScotRail station adopters since 2008.
Milngavie Umbrella Group
We were invited by East Dunbartonshire Council, as one of a small number, to join and contribute to this newly formed group of local organisations.
Tesco plc
Tesco’s Community Champion is very supportive of our work.
Staff from Tesco regularly assist us with gardening or litter picking.
Tesco gave donated hand tools to us.
April 2019
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Waitrose
Waitrose gave us money from their token scheme a few years ago. A small number of staff helped with the big Spring Clean in 2018.
McDonalds
Staff from the local McDonalds have carried out litter picking around their premises.
Mugdock Country Park Rangers
Some of our volunteers have worked with the Rangers on efforts to eliminate Skunk Cabbage in the burns that feed into the Allander Water and to tackle Himalayan Balsam on Barloch Moor.
The Rangers also held a bird box building workshop that some of our volunteers attended.
The Rangers installed the bird boxes on trees around the
precinct.
August 2018
Bearsden & Milngavie Ramblers
For more than 5 years volunteers from Bearsden and Milngavie Ramblers have helped us to restore the beds at the start of the West Highland Way.
March 2019
Allander Road It’s Your Neighbourhood group
Following a letter drop to the residents of Allander Road and a meeting in the Community Centre a small group was formed. Allander Road group started with planting daffodils on the grassy bank in spring 2017.
Phase 1 was the creation of the long bed that was eventually planted up with rhododendrons and daffodils and the flower bed above the new wall.
Phase 2 was starting on the Italian Garden in 2018. This work is still continuing.
A coffee morning for residents was held in June.
June 2019
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Tarmac Quarries
We have received funding from Tarmac on several occasions but in 2018 we asked if they could donate gravel and boulders for our statue at Southgate.
Men’s Shed
In 2015 we approached Men’s Shed in Kirkintilloch to enquire if their members would like to renew the trellis bearing the words “Antoninvs Pivs” at the Antonine Garden, which they did in 2016.
They also constructed the framework for poppy wreaths to be displayed at the Community bed when it was dedicated as a Garden of Remembrance.
A Men’s Shed has now been established in Bearsden and they have provided services at the Carers Link garden.
October 2018
Milngavie churches
Several of our volunteers also help with the maintenance of the gardens at their church.
We decorate a tree for the Churches Christmas Tree festival. The theme for our tree was Sunflowers and Suffragettes.
December 2018
Town Hall group
Following a letter drop to houses in the vicinity of the Town Hall a small group was formed to look after the beds outside the building.
Baldernock Gardening Club
Many of our volunteers are also members of the Club. The Club makes a donation to Milngavie in Bloom and we buy plants at their annual plant sale.
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019 Residential or Day Care Centres
Our volunteers maintain the barrels and raised beds outside the Park Road sheltered housing day-room where groups of elderly residents meet.
June 2019
Friends of Milngavie Reservoir
We have joined forces with the Friends to restore the climbing roses in the gardens of the former reservoir manager’s residence.
Scottish Water
Scottish Water installed a free water tap at the start of the West Highland Way. We were asked to participate in the publicity and received a donation from Scottish Water.
March 2019
Community Payback
One of the last tasks for the gardening year is the removal of the leaves from the embankment at the steps leading down to the station. To dispose of the leaves the Council enrol the services of the community payback lads.
Residents of Allander Gardens
The residents contribute to a common good fund and at their AGM they decide how to disburse the funds. We have been the recipient of a donation on several occasions.
Milngavie in Bloom Portfolio 2019