New Elgin Community Garden is a new community garden located at the back of New Elgin and Ashgrove Hall. The idea stemmed from an initial piece of community engagement work by the local authority (http://www.yourmoray.org.uk/downloads/file128001.pdf) which saw the people of New Elgin East discuss the strengths in their area and the areas for improvement. An emerging theme from over 1000 conversations was that more needed to be done to promote ‘community involvement’. Specifically people wanted to see social isolation reduced and events where people of all ages could come together.

The project started with just two volunteers meeting in September 2020 to discuss the possibility of the project and just a few short months later and with a little bit of support from some local organisations: Moray Community Justice team (who cut back overgrowth), REAP Scotland (a local charity that supports community growing), New Elgin East Community Working Group, Elgin Men’s Shed and New Elgin and Ashgrove Hall (who gifted the group a small piece of land) we’ve managed to get started.

So far we've had three planting days and one learning visit. All sessions have involved open-to-the-public sessions on a Saturday morning once a month. We’ve planted kale, cabbage, carrots, winter lettuce, herbs, autumn fruiting raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants and six apple trees to make a mini orchard. We have also planted a willow arch where we plan to create a new entrance to the garden with some signs that will peak interest in what’s happening there. The latest session (January 2020) was a learning visit to Elgin Allotments.

The group have continued to attend events to ask the community what they would like from the garden and in line with feedback. In 2020 we will be focusing on growing food, creating a seating area, making the garden a bit more accessible and incorporating more areas that will encourage local children to get involved. During Spring and Summer we also plan to have more afternoon and early evening sessions.