Wilton Lodge Park’s walled garden opens its gates

Volunteers Jake Coltman and Barbara Brzyk with some of the produce from the Wilton Lodge Park walled garden in Hawick, which is now open to the public. Picture SBC

The improved facility has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Borders Council (SBC).

The new walled garden will aim to be a centre of community horticulture and training, with volunteers having played a key role in its development.

Their work on the overall project was recognised by a Volunteer Friendly Award last year from Volunteer Centre Borders.

The new walled garden in Hawicks Wilton Lodge Park, part of the £3.64million regeneration project, has opened to the public. Picture: SBC

The opening of the walled garden follows the opening of the Zandra Elliot Bandstand in April, which has been a popular addition with Sunday performances throughout the summer, and the opening of the new park gallery in Hawick Museum in June.

Next year will see a new café open and the creation of a new play park alongside other improvements, with the regeneration project aiming to improve the quality and standard of Wilton Lodge Park for Hawick residents and visitors in the long term.

A garden was officially opened in a ceremony yesterday (Tuesday 25 August) by one of the volunteers, Barbara Brzyk, alongside Councillor Gordon Edgar, Scottish Borders Council’s Executive Member for Roads and Infrastructure, and a number of Hawick councillors.

Cllr Edgar said: “It is fantastic to see the walled garden finally open and I am sure members of the public will be impressed with the final result.

“The Wilton Lodge Park regeneration project aims to improve the quality and standard of the park for Hawick residents and visitors in the longer term.

“The work to the walled garden certainly fits these aims, and alongside the work already carried out with the Elliot Bandstand and the new park gallery in Hawick Museum, we are starting to see the benefits of the regeneration project.”

Councillor David Paterson, SBC’s Executive Member for Environmental Services, added: “I would like to thank the volunteers who have put in hours of hard work to make the walled garden look at its best, with its colourful flowers, vegetables and fruit.

“They have already been acknowledged with a Volunteer Centre Borders Award and I am sure visitors to the walled garden will appreciate the effort they have put in.”