The Green Flag Award Scheme.
The Green Flag Award scheme was launched in 1996 and gave its first awards in England and Wales in1997. The programme continues to provide the benchmark against which our parks and green spaces are measured. For the 2009/2010 round of judging, the scheme continued to go from strength to strength, with a record number of parks and green spaces receiving the accolade.
The award recognises well managed and high-quality green spaces and is valid for one year. To be eligible sites must be freely accessible to the public and perform well against the following eight criteria:
The scheme was trialed for the first time in Scotland in 2007 by Edinburgh and Dundee and the Barnhill Rock Garden won its first award then It has continued to be awarded it every year. Since then and over the years they have been joined by other Dundee parks and Friends groups in achieving this award.
For 2021/2022 the Friends have been presented with their latest Green Flag Award.
![]() |
Thursday, 5th August 2016: Representatives of the Friends along with Gardener, Michael Laird were at Templeton Woods this morning to receive the Rock Garden's Green Flag for 2016-2017 presented by Councillor Vari Macdonald
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
18th June 2015
Judges, Scott Thomson and Jenny Hargreaves from Keep Scotland Beautiful visited the Barnhill Rock Garden on Thursday, 18th June for the annual assessment in respect of our Green Flag. The weather was a bit bleak but the atmosphere was warm and the Garden did its best to impress.
19th August 2014
Deputy environment convener Vari McDonald and environment director Ken Laing came to the Barnhill Rock Garden to present the Barnhill Rock Garden, Baxter Park, Templeton Woods and Trottick Ponds Nature Reserve with their Green Flags for 2014-2015. Friends of the Garden and Gardener, Michael Laird were present for the event.
Thursday, 15th August 2013: Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden were presented with a new (their seventh) Green Flag by Convener, Craig Melville at Trottick Mill Ponds.
![]() |
![]() |
The Barnhill Rock Garden was awarded it’s sixth Green Flag in July 2012 at Baxter Park. Trottick Mill Ponds, Baxter Park and Templeton Woods were also awarded Green Flags once more. Gardener, Michael Laird and Friends, Iain Hunter, Anne Hesketh, Ann Taylor, Isobel Turner and Mary Saunders were present to accept the new flag which was later hoisted down at the Rock Garden.
![]() |
![]() |
Templeton Woods was the site for the presentation of the 2011-12 Green Flags as it was receiving its first Green Flag. Michael Laird and three of the Friends were delighted to be there to receive the Garden's fifth Green Flag. Representatives from Trottick Ponds, Baxter Park and the Council's Environment Department were also present.
![]() |
![]() |
Wednesday, 28th July 2010 Friends of the Garden and Michael Laird, were delighted to receive the fourth Green Flag earned by the Barnhill Rock Garden for 2010-2011. This year they were joined by representatives from Trottick Ponds and Baxter Park for the presentation at the Rock Garden.

The scheme was trialed for the first time in Scotland in 2007 by Edinburgh and Dundee and the Barnhill Rock Garden won its first award. In 2008 Trottick Mill Ponds and the Barnhill Rock Garden obtained the award and in 2009 they were joined by Baxter Park. Perth also took part in 2009.

www.greenflagaward.org.uk