Cove Park’s Unexpected Gardens will be developed on distinct sites on the Rosneath peninsula, overlooking Loch Long and the Gareloch. The project is artist-led by Hannah Brackston and the sites include: a disused car park at Centre 81 Community Centre in Garelochhead and the Sailing Club in Cove. The project will also be augmented by Siôn Parkinson as the Musician in Residence and a food artist soon to be announced. The local communities will drive the design and development of the gardens to become a place for them in the future. Both sites share a proximity with salt and fresh water and are managed by members of the local community. The growing and development of the gardens will focus on re-connecting with existing flora and fauna and how, in the future, they can be used in food, medicine, dyed materials and art.
Cove Park’s Unexpected Gardens project launches on Thursday 28th April as part of the nationwide Dandelion programme. Please join us between 11am and 1pm for soup and a roll and to learn more about our plans for the garden at Centre 81 Garelochhead Community Centre and between 2pm and 4pm for tea and cake and to learn more about our plans for the garden at Cove Sailing Club. We invite your input at this stage to ensure it will be an accessible and valuable space for everyone in the community. Visit our Eventbrite to RSVP.
Locations:
Centre 81, Old School Road, Garelochhead, G84 0AT. Parking available, bus stop at Gibson Hall, 1 minutes walk away.
Cove Sailing Club, Baron’s Point, Cove, G84 0LS. Parking available, bus stop outside venue.
More about the project:
Commissioned by EventScotland and funded via the Scottish Government, Dandelion is Scotland’s contribution to UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, a nationwide programme of creative events and engagement. Driven by the concept of ‘Sow, Grow, Share’ – not just food but ideas, music, scientific knowledge, and community – Dandelion takes a unique approach to growing. Bringing together artists, scientists, performers, and technologists to present events and programmes throughout Scotland, including the Unexpected Gardens, Dandelion will culminate in hundreds of harvest celebrations later this year.
Francesca Bertolotti-Bailey, CEO, Cove Park said: “We are extremely grateful to Dandelion to give us the opportunity to work with the ecologies, histories and communities unique to Loch Long and Gare Loch. These partnerships allow us to generate new ideas, projects and activities for exchange, collaboration and care around the communal production of food at times of climate chaos.”
Image: Katie Mackay at Centre 81 by Alan Dimmick
