Cultivating Community and Sustainability in Lilliesleaf
In the heart of the Scottish Borders, the Lilliesleaf Growing Group has transformed a once-unused agricultural field into a thriving community garden, promoting local food production, education and social connection.
From Concept to Cultivation
In 2021, inspired by conversations among villagers eager to grow food locally and sustainably, residents secured planning permission to convert an agricultural field into a communal garden space. This initiative led to the establishment of a polytunnel, enabling year-round cultivation and community engagement.
The garden now yields a variety of fresh produce, including leeks, chard, spinach, kale, garlic and strawberries. Planting decisions are made collectively, and surplus produce is shared with village residents on a donation basis, reinforcing community ties and promoting food accessibility.
Educational Engagement and Community Involvement
Despite facing two markedly different growing seasons, the group has established meaningful educational partnerships. A dedicated garden bed allows primary school pupils to cultivate crops like pumpkins and peas, while local toddler groups have participated in planting fruit bushes. These activities not only educate young residents about agriculture but also strengthen intergenerational connections within the community.
The polytunnel serves multiple purposes throughout the year, including overwintering cuttings such as rosemary and producing exceptional tomato harvests for two consecutive years.
Innovative Solutions
In 2023, the group received funding from the Langhope Rig Community Benefit Fund to purchase two 1,000-litre industrial bulk containers (IBCs) for water storage. Utilizing tile edging to collect rainwater from the polytunnel roof into these containers has proven more effective and cost-efficient than traditional guttering. This innovation has reduced the labor-intensive task of transporting water to the site, allowing members to focus more on cultivation and community activities.
Broader Impact
The Lilliesleaf community garden contributes to the local economy by providing fresh produce, reducing reliance on imported foods, and minimizing transportation costs and carbon emissions. Its donation-based surplus sharing system keeps resources within the community, while educational partnerships with schools build valuable agricultural skills in younger generations. Additionally, the garden fosters community resilience and self-sufficiency, builds social capital that can lead to other forms of economic cooperation, and promotes better health outcomes that may reduce healthcare costs over time.
A Community Council representative remarked:
"I have to say this is one of my favourite projects Langhope Rig has funded."