With a Tesco Bags of Help grant of £10,000 and help from many volunteers, the Balgreen Community Garden project in Edinburgh has transformed a derelict space alongside the City’s Water of Leith - ‘a silver thread in a ribbon of green’  - into a great place for people and wildlife.  The area had become neglected and churned up following  tramworks and the installation of a bridge.

The Balgreen site is one of several 'Biodiversity Boost' sites along the river.  Local groups and residents were consulted by the Trust to see what they would like and a plan was developed for an outdoor space where people can meet and enjoy nature.  Many volunteers were involved in creating a garden with a native hedgerow, wildflower meadow, butterfly and bee bank, raised beds as well as a willow fence, living wall and stone bench.

“We thank all who took part…..we could not have completed the project without our volunteers who have spent many hours on the site creating habitats, filling beds and digging over the site.  Our thanks also go to the RSPB Giving Nature a Home Team for their support, the Dirty Weekenders and Wood Mackenzie for helping to finish off the project.  But above all thank you to Ben McCallum for making it all happen and the many local residents who have taken this garden to their hearts. We can’t wait to see what it will look like in the spring!”

• Helen Brown, Water of Leith Conservation Trust

The project is one of the many clean-ups and habitat improvement tasks which volunteers and community groups get involved in delivering annually all along the river as part of the work of the Trust.

Key facts
Location: Edinburgh
Project type: Biodiversity and wildlife
Bags of Help Funding: £10,000
Grantee: Water of Leith Conservation Trust
Website: www.waterofleith.org.uk

View the printable pdf Balgreen Biodiversity Boost Garden

See all Tesco Bags of Help Case Studies

Up to £2000 is available from Tesco Bags of Help to support a wide range of projects that benefit your local community. Tesco Bags of Help is administered by Groundwork working with greenspace scotland to support applicants and successful projects in Scotland. 
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