Belleisle park Ayr Rock garden

[ichristie]

I was at Belleisle Rock  garden last week on Wed. and Thurs. the weather was foul again so much rain however planting is finished for now the area was top dressed with good chippings and Melcourt bark where the Azaleas and woodsie plants are just felt that to have the whole thing with chipping was a bit stark. The garden looks like a moon landscape I suppose but plants need time to grow just so cold everything is slow. Yet again the SRGC team came to help they did such a lot of work with the planting and Top dressing with the boys from the council running around getting materials and plants they have also planted the shrub area at either side of the Rock Garden, a few pictures,  cheers Ian the Christie kind

[ichristie]

Shrub area , Ian

[Maggi Young]

Instead of a wooden sign indicating the contribution of SRGC members to the rock garden in Belleisle Park a carved stone was  suggested. Ian Christie commissioned the work from the talented stonemason Chris Walker, described by Ian C. as a real character.  Ian  has now taken delivery of the stone, complete with the  lovely Dryas SRGC logo, ready to go to Ayr.

[astragalus]

That stone is really impressive.  Love the logo.

[TC]

Sorry to cast a cloud on the proceedings but we went to see the garden last month only to be confronted by this sign.  There are always people who like to spoil it for everyone.  Due to council budget cut backs, there are no staff employees at the weekend OR after 4PM on a weekday so the place is wide open unless it is locked.
I can remember 30 years ago when the glasshouse was a place to visit on a wet winter's day but it gradually fell into disrepair and the drug users took it over.
Hopefully it will return to it's former glory again when the rebuild is completed.

[Maggi Young]

How very sad Tom. Ian Christie and all the SRGC folks who have put in so much effort to the garden will be so disappointed - not to mention the workers from the Council  and Park Committee who have been so involved in bringing this project together. 
Very sad and frankly, infuriating that there are such horrible folk about, spoiling the garden for the many.

[astragalus]

The same thing happened at a 9/11 Memorial garden in my town.  I would get a call from the Parks Dept. and go to the garden to see plants (some newly planted, some not), had been dug up and placed on the road and even on the two benches.  One dwarf weeping Carragana that was gorgeous and been planted there for 7 years disappeared completely - just a hole left with severed roots.  We circulated a notice around the neighborhood indicating more police presence and prosecution and the vandalism magically stopped.  There was a new development of very expensive houses in the area and it seemed a likely source of teenagers with nothing better to do.  Also, there was an attempt to remove the benches but the legs had been drilled for rebar which was then set in cement so that was unsuccessful. The garden is in a Park with many soccer fields and we enlisted coaches who enlisted their players to keep their eyes open for bad behavior.  Too bad to have to go to these lengths.

[ichristie]

Hello a bit of an up-date from Ayr, I spoke to Fiona last week and since the Rock Garden has been screened off  no more vandalism has taken place Fiona assures me that once the garden gets a bit more established they will open longer, I have also been informed that Park rangers are on duty as well but as the park is huge they will only pass through once in a while. We hope to be back at Belleisle soon to place the SRGC stone will let you know, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[ichristie]

Ann and I went to Belleisle yesterday we picked up Bette Ivey the SRGC Honorary President who was going to place and unveil the SRGC stone which is shown on this Forum.   I am delighted to say that the Garden is looking great plants are growing not many weeds to be seen the area is still fenced off to keep out unwelcome visitors. We met Fiona Ross the South Ayrshire council contact Fiona does not sit on her bum all day telling people to do things she goes out and gets her hands dirty as well as all the men from the council appreciate a contact who will do what is asked ( usually).  I will post a series of pictures from yesterday  first  are the garden the Bette digging the foundation hole for the stone ( she had a lot of help) Ann and I with Audrey and SRGC Members so here goes cheers Ian the Christie kind

[ichristie]

We now have Bette unveiling the SRGC stone with Fiona and  Lisa ( Ranger) and some Scottish Rockers

[ichristie]

I am also delighted to see that the Conservatory has been re-furbished looks great and a dead tree has been transformed into a Totem pole

[ichristie]

Ann and then went down to the sea front it was a superb sunny day so ice cream was a must now at the sea front is something very special as you can walk the Lang Scots Mile which is clearly marked along the sea front this is 224 yards longer than an imperial mile just think about this as the miles are longer you do not need to drive so far???  and your car would go another mile so more economy as you do not believe me I post pictures, cheers Ian the Christie kind ( this could only happen in Scotland )

[ichristie]

Hello again I forgot to say that one picture shows Bette planting  Dryas octopetala which I hope will grow around the SRGC stone, we went out in the evening with Bette and Audrey which was a laugh a minute great chat food was good will have my wee dram (maybe more than one) tonight I was driving any way two more pictures, cheers Ian the Christie kind

[Maggi Young]

Twitter message today from Tracey Rodgers  https://twitter.com/TraceyRodgers1/status/733244360976916480
to show how well the  garden at Belleisle is looking....




...we think the cute wee dog likes the garden too!

[TC]

We were in the garden yesterday but I had not brought my camera with me.  Although the gates were locked, we could walk round the side and see the plantings.  It looks really good with plants in flower everywhere.  I will have to pay a visit and take some pictures.