News
10th June 2022 Activities and events in the Garden are now back to almost normal after the extreme disruption caused by the pandemic during the last two years. It is time for Assessment visits for awards and we await one for It's Your Neighbourhood at the end of July 2022. Groups who had signed up for 19/20 were given a certificate of Recognition due to the cancellation of all assessment visits. Despite the difficult circumstances we achieved an Outstanding certificate for 2021. Outings for the Friends, all postponed for the last two years, start this summer and members have been keen to sign up.30th October 2019- .Representatives from the friends group will be attending this years IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD AWARDS in Stirling, hoping to receive the outstanding achievement award and certificate of distinction for the work they do in the garden all year round.
25th September 2019-The friends held their 22nd AGM once all business was completed . Michael laird gave a speech about the progress of the garden in 2019 and future projects happening in 2020.The yearly film show of the friends activities and this years open day in July called GALA IN THE GARDEN was shown. A great night had by all .
July/August 2019- The rock garden was part of Dundee's entry for Scotland in Bloom .Starting the day at Barnhill rock garden and ending at Dundee botanic garden. In September it was announced that Dundee won gold. Well done to all involved!!
July 2019 The garden was once again presented with the GREEN FLAG AWARD this award recognises a high quality green space for the community and environment.
January 2019 -The garden retained its Green Tourism Award for how eco friendly we are as a visitor attraction and how the council and friends operate the site.
31st October 2018 - Representatives from the Friends group went to this year's In your Neighbourhood Awards in the Albert Halls in Stirling to receive the Outstanding Achievement and Certificate of Distinction for the work they do in the garden.
26th September 2018 The Friends held their 21st AGM. After all business was concluded a Michael Laird gave a speech about the gardens progress over the past year and plans for the coming year. Then the yearly film of the Friends activities was shown. A great night for all involved.
July 2018 - The garden was presented with the green flag award once again which took place at Slessor Gardens . The award recognises a high quality green space within the environment.
2018 - The garden was inspected by Visit Scotland and was awarded a 4 star rating once again as a quality visitor attraction.
June 2018 - The garden received a Penguin called Sunrise as part of the Maggie Penguin Trail. This attracted huge number of visitors to the garden right thought till September.
25th October 2017 - Representatives from the friends group went to this year's In Your neighbourhood awards in the Albert Halls in Stirling to receive a certificate of outstanding achievement and certificate of distinction for the work they do for the garden.
August 2017 - The garden was presented with the green flag award once again which took place on the Dundee law . The award recognises a high quality green space within the environment.
8th July 2017 - The garden hosted an open day called Gala in the Garden. The day was a great success which attracted over 1500 people who enjoyed the many bands , children's actitives and stalls.
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Thurs 7th July 2016:
There are currently two short-term visitors at the Garden – Our Wullie – part of the Dundee Bucket Trail and a Scarecrow Gardener part of the Scarecrow Trail produced by Grove Academy pupils with help from some of the primary schools.
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Wednesday, 28th October 2015:
Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden were presented with an It's Your Neighbourhood* accolade - a Certificate of Distinction - by Kathryn Bennett of the Scottish Power Foundation, at an awards ceremony in the Albert Halls, Stirling, last week.
Ann Taylor and Isobel Turner were there to accept the Certificate.
It’s Your Neigbourhood is organised by Beautiful Scotland and is based on the three themes of Horticultural Achievement, Environmental Responsibility, and Community Participation. 15 groups, including the Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden were also awarded a Certificate of Distinction.
The award is given to groups which have consistently grown and improved their performance over the years that they have participated in the It’s Your Neighbourhood campaign. Ann Taylor and Michael Laird represented the Friends in the group.
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Wednesday, 23rd September 2015
Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden held their 18th Annual General Meeting yesterday at the St Aidan’s Centre in Broughty Ferry on Wednesday, 23rd September. It was attended by nearly 70 members who unanimously re-elected Chairman, Mary Saunders; Vice Chairman, John Grocott; Treasurer, Heather Dailly; Secretary, Anne Hesketh; Membership Secretary, Kate Grocott and Committee members Margery Auras, Anne Chalmers and Ann Taylor. Two new committee members were elected, Moira Bisset and Godfrey Nicholson. A basket of flowering plants was presented to Isobel Turner one of the original committee members and chairman for ten years who has now retired from the committee.
In her report the chairman commented on the Friends’ and the Garden’s achievements during the year including once again being awarded a Green Flag in its 60th year.
The Rock Garden’s full-time Council Gardener, Michael Laird gave his report and a Vote of Thanks was given by Frank Clish. After the business part of the meeting Daphne Barbieri presented her film of the group’s trip to view private gardens in Yorkshire.
Saturday 11th July 2015 Gala Day
After months of preparation by the Dundee City Council and the Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden, on Saturday, 11th July 2015 an unforgettable party was held in the Barnhill Rock Garden to celebrate its 60th Anniversary.
During the opening ceremony conducted by the Environment Convener the Friends gave gifts of £60 each to two of the Garden’s voluntary helpers, Iain Hunter and Ian Baxby who between them have worked in the Garden for more than 30 years. In addition a donation of £600 was given to Broughty Ferry in Bloom to help them with their efforts to improve the Broughty Ferry environment.
Later the Friends’ first chairman, Isobel Turner cut a specially made birthday cake and the current chairman, Mary Saunders, unveiled a delightful birdbath commissioned by the Friends from Jennifer Rae, a clay modeller, artist and ceramist from Cupar in Fife.
Entertainment at the Gala included entertainer Talented Ted who made balloon animals for a never-ending queue of children; a storyteller, the Play on Wheels Play Bus; Dance Ihayami; The Swizzle Sisters; Dundee Instrumental Band; 6th/8th Boys Brigade Pipe Band; Snag Golf; a small putting green; The Countryside Rangers; Face painting by Dirti Faces and Brae Riding Stables pony.
A record number of plant stalls and charity groups took part and a warm sunny day encouraged a large number of adults and children to take part and enjoy a great afternoon.
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Thursday, 18th June 2015 Green Flag judging 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.
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Friends of the Rock Garden carried out their Spring Clean on Saturday, 11th April - concentrating on their Scree, Geddes Glasshouse beds and Snowdrop Wood, leaving them looking even better than usual. The wind was cold but the sun did its best to warm us up.
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Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden held their 17th Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 24th September at the St Aidan’s Centre in Broughty Ferry. 65 members attended; were given an update on the Garden by Head Gardener, Michael Laird and entertained by Daphne Barbieri’s film of the Friends’ summer activities.
The committee comprising Chairman, Mary Saunders; Vice Chair, John Grocott; Treasurer, Heather Dailly; Secretary, Anne Hesketh; Membership Secretary, Kate Grocott and members, Marge Auras, Anne Chalmers, Tom Neilson, Ann Taylor and Isobel Turner were all re-elected.
During her Statement, the Chairman acknowledged the commitment of the late Jim Millan, who had recently lost his long battle with poor health, to the Barnhill Rock Garden. He had been a committee member of the Friends since its inception and always worked to improve the Rock Garden. It was due to his strenuous efforts that the Geddes Glasshouse was obtained. Dave Scott, Head Gardener before the current Gardener, Michael Laird, had asked for special mention to be made of the contribution Jim Millan made to the ongoing development and maintenance of the Garden. “Over the years since his retirement he was a regular visitor to the Garden and a constant source of encouragement and enthusiasm. He helped to keep up the morale of the weary weeders and enriched the Garden with many plants he had raised from seed”.
The vote of thanks was given by Eleanor Mearns.
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.
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15th August 2014
Keep Scotland Beautiful assessors Ian & Sandra Maclennan were at the Barnhill Rock Garden this morning to judge the Friends’ entry into the It's Your Neighbourhood Campaign for 2014.
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29th July 2014
Beautiful Scotland judges, Sandy Scott and John MacLennnan were in Broughty Ferry to judge Broughty Ferry in Bloom’s entry into this year’s competition and completed their “tour”- at the Barnhill Rock Garden.
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As part of the National Gardening Week, Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden carried out a Spring-clean at the Garden on Saturday, 19th April. This year, apart from tidying/weeding areas of the garden for which they are responsible the Friends planted nearly 1000 snowdrops-in-the green in the Snowdrop Wood and Sunflower seeds in a bed beside the railway to celebrate, along with community groups around the country, “50 years of RHS Britain in Bloom”. Helping the Friends with these activities were Cub Scouts from 1st Monifieth Group who also carried out a “litter-pick” across the Garden. This Group have been coming to the Garden for five years now to assist with the Spring-clean.
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Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden, Chairman, Mary Saunders, Ann Taylor and Head Gardener, Michael Laird attended the Beautiful Scotland Annual Seminar & It’s Your Neighbourhood Awards Presentation in the Albert Halls, Stirling on 30th October. As last year they were delighted to be presented with two Certificates – an “Outstanding” Certificate in the IYN Scheme and also a Certificate of Distinction in recognition of their hard work. This year the presentations were made by Pamela Whittle, President of The Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society in Scotland.
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Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden held their AGM on Wednesday, 25th September in the Age Concern Hall, Broughty Ferry. A large turnout of members re-elected the Committee, comprising Chairman, Mary Saunders; Vice Chairman, John Grocott; Treasurer, Heather Dailly; Secretary, Anne Hesketh; Membership Secretary, Kate Grocott and Anne Chalmers, Jim Millan, Tom Neilson, Ann Taylor and Isobel Turner. Margery Auras was elected as a new member of the committee.
Gardener, Michael Laird gave an update on activities and progress in the Garden and Daphne Barbieri’s film of the group’s activities during the year was shown.
In her report Chairman, Mary Saunders commented on the Awards received last year by the Friends for their work in supporting the Garden – a Beautiful Scotland Outstanding Achievement award in the It’s Your Neighbourhood Scheme and a Certificate of Distinction from the Royal Horticultural Society for their work over the past few years. The group had also supported Broughty Ferry in Bloom helping them to achieve Silver Gilt Awards in 2012 and 2013.
Thursday, 15th August 2013:
Friends of the Barnhill Rock Garden were presented with a new Green Flag by Convener, Craig Melville at Trottick Mill Ponds.
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