Leith Open Space

The magic of Redbraes

August 7th, 2008

Grassroots, the Zimbabwean band, bring the festival spirit to Redbraes

“I keep smiling thinking about it,” says Becky and her pictures tell the rest of the story. After months of hard work Redbraes community garden opened to the public on Saturday with a party that even the sun enjoyed.

I wasn’t able to get to the barbecue but when I dropped by earlier in the day I could tell it was going to be a good party. That didn’t stop the hard work of course. While PC Simon Daley and helpers put up the gazebo, Becky Govier, the garden designer, was surrounded by volunteers busy digging a border for all the plants donated by the Botanics (see Police raid Botanics).

Since then the hard work has continued with Simon returning to finish seating and secure water supplies. But for that sunny Saturday afternoon there was time to relax and enjoy the garden. Becky sums up the general mood:

“The day was magic. More volunteers came forward yesterday and a neighbour has been in touch to ask for help reclaiming his garden to create a vegetable patch. One neighbour donated an attractive little conifer to the cause. As a result of the event we now have a greenhouse, gas BBQ, lavender plants, new volunteers, a potential source of funding and more friends.”

Volunteers of all ages come to lend a hand for Redbraes open day