'This place brings people together' - the Easterhouse garden growing community spirit

A pear tree is starting to bear fruit and a patch of pumpkins is beginning to ripen, while purple kale, violet cauliflowers and red chard add vivid splashes of colour against the green.

This garden is not in the Mediterranean, although you’d be forgiven for thinking it.

It’s in Easterhouse, and it is helping to bring together a community, thanks to the support of determined volunteers, generous residents and the Glasgow Times Streets Ahead campaign.

Our initiative, supported by Glasgow City Council, City Charitable Trust, People Make Glasgow Greener and City Building, brings neighbours together to improve the city for the benefit of all. This year marks its 10th anniversary of supporting projects across Glasgow.

The Lochend Community Garden first took root seven years ago.

Led by Jane Boyce, and supported by local councillors, Jobs and Business Glasgow and charity FARE (Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse), an overgrown, neglected rectangle of ground on Drumlanrig Avenue was transformed into a cheerful growing space, much loved by locals of all ages.

In recent years however, the site has been in need of some TLC. Flytippers had taken advantage of the reduction in use, raised beds had fallen into disrepair, and weeds had started to take over.

Enter Susan Wilson, volunteer gardener and passionate community campaigner, who wanted to help transform the space once more.

Susan is a well-kent face in the east end, having lent a hand to countless projects including local allotments, schools and nurseries.

“Gardening is my passion,” she said. “And this is a really special place. It nurtures people. I know many people who come here for comfort, just to get away from what’s going on in their lives.”

This has been especially true during the last 18 months, when many families have struggled because of Covid.

“It has been an awful time for everyone,” says Susan. “I know some young people who have lost parents. Health and wellbeing is a big part of what we are doing here.”

Since April, Susan has been working tirelessly to breathe life into the garden again with the help of fellow volunteers and staff at FARE, local councillor Maureen Burke and a team of young people from nearby schools and nurseries.

“I’m really grateful for all the support we have had from so many generous local businesses too, like B&Q Parkhead, Jewson, Scotbark, Polypipe, A&S scaffolding and Tesco Parkhead,” she said.

Ella Lafferty and Quinn Cameron, who are both 11, are pupils at St Benedict’s Primary.

“We’ve been doing a bit of weeding today, it’s been fun,” said Quinn.

Ella added: “It’s nice to be close to nature.”

Ruaridh, Laughlin and Aleeya, from Lochview Nursery, are snipping herbs in their plot, which is bursting with mint, chives and more.

“The mint smells like toothpaste,” says Aleeya, who is four. “We made pizzas and put tomatoes on the top.”

Laughlin, also four, added: “I have been digging. It is a bit muddy.”

Sally Graham, Lochview’s lead practitioner, said: “The children have learned so much by coming here, it’s great. It’s not just about teaching them how to plant and grow food, but they go home to their parents and they learn to cook, and how to budget and be sustainable.

“There’s an awful lot more to this, and there’s a real sense of community here.”

Chris Kerr, FARE’s community support and development manager, agrees.

“This garden, ever since Jane’s original vision, has always been about community ownership and we’re delighted to see people using it again and coming here to enjoy it,” he said.

“Susan is so passionate about it, she’s done a great job. The whole community benefit from it, even the people who live opposite love to look out on it and keep an eye on it. People come and learn new skills, meet their neighbours – it brings generations together.”

With a £500 grant from our Streets Ahead fund, Susan is now hoping to buy more tools and equipment to expand the growing areas and add a sensory garden, mud kitchen for younger children, seating areas and more fruit trees.

The garden has recently been shortlisted in the Best Community Garden category of national competition Cultivation Street and in August, received a Level 4 award – the second highest - from Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Hubert Rudnicki, 14, is a pupil at Lochend School and the superhero grower responsible for the giant sunflowers which soar into the sky in the centre of the garden.

“I don’t really know how I did it,” he grins. “I weeded the plot and planted the seeds. I also grew runner beans and broad beans. It has inspired me, I will definitely do more gardening.”

Brothers Adam and Jan Irwin love spending time at Lochend.

“I like growing plants and learning about different vegetables,” says Jan, who is 11.

READ MORE: 'Hot pink hi-vis rubbish army' signs up celebrities to clean up Partick

Adam, 14, adds: “It’s been good to plant pumpkins and I helped to build the bridge near the entrance way.”

Mum Fiona, whose other children Halima, 16, Arleen, seven, and four-year-old Zidan, says her whole family loves the garden.

“It does them good to come here,” she says. “They bring home the veg and I make curries with it. It’s rare to find something we can all do together, where there is something for you, no matter what age you are.

“Seeing them so happy is my favourite thing about it.”