Daar Inclusion Garden was the brainchild of one of Daar Lodge’s sheltered housing residents. Since its purchase, the space has been transformed into a flourishing communal garden which is the focus of the community. Through the work of determined individuals living in the sheltered accommodation and in the surrounding community, the overgrown, tired garden has transformed into an oasis of calm and a place where everyone feels welcome and included.
The garden at Daar Lodge was created in 2010 when a group of residents asked if a small grassy area could be developed. Without volunteers supporting the maintenance of the garden, it became overgrown and required attention. After securing funding, a strong cohort of volunteers were roused to breathe new life into the garden. Mindful of their ages, residents knew there were some jobs they couldn’t complete alone but staff were able to enlist the help of local trades and environmental teams to complete the project. The garden is now a place where all the community can spend time, tend their plants and vegetables and socialise together. To ensure the garden was well-maintained, a committee was established to manage its restoration.
The garden was brought back to life by key funding from Dumfries and Galloway Health & Social Care Partnership with the ethos of ‘keeping people at home for longer’. The residents enlisted the Kirkcudbright Garden Society, friends, families and the local school to support intergenerational work in the garden. Teaching children about horticulture and giving them opportunities to commit themselves through the Duke of Edinburgh award demonstrates how the garden supports community engagement. The garden is part of Kirkcudbright’s Arts and Crafts trail, a popular spot in the area’s summer festival. The garden's focal point is a mosaic created by a local ceramicist who worked with residents to create the piece. The mosaic is a beautiful piece of artwork which depicts birds and butterflies and can be seen along the coast and estuary. The centre depicts the coat of arms of Kirkcudbright and St Cuthbert in his sailing boat. The residents are proud of the garden and the committee works to secure additional funding for its restoration.
The gardens were completed by local tradespeople, including many who already work within the Wheatley Homes South organisation. Materials for the garden were sourced locally or recycled from the original garden. For example, wood recycled from the fence was used to construct a potting table and rock chips from the Dalbeattie quarry were used to create sturdy paths throughout the garden. The produce is grown using organic products and the fruits of the residents’ hard work are enjoyed within the housing complex and shared with the wider community. The committee is arranging a plant & produce stall to tie in with the summer festival and there will be an opportunity to host a plant swap later in the year.