Borders green fingers at work in Beechgrove Garden
Wednesday, July 18 2007
This week has been an important one for Innerleithen – as the BBC’s Beechgrove Garden team descended on the town for three days of filming.
The Tern TV crew, along with presenters Jim McColl, Lesley Watson and Carolyn Spray, have been gathering shots of the town’s attractive private gardens as well as picturesque public areas. They have also been speaking to green-fingered locals, picking up gardening tips and finding out more about life in Innerleithen and the surrounding area.
Filming will culminate on Thursday 12 July at the main focus of the programme – the transformation of the community garden at the town’s St. Ronan’s Wells.
The well was a spa in the 19th century, famous for its healing waters, but the site was the subject of myth and legend well before then – especially that of the Celtic monk, St. Ronan, who is said to have chased the Devil himself out of town.
Staff at the St. Ronan’s Wells museum, as well as local gardeners and children from local schools, have all been mucking in over the last few months to transform the garden at the back of the museum into a lovely community garden complete with wild flowers and a water feature.
After the filming, the Tern TV crew have a tight schedule to meet as the programme will be broadcast on the evening of Wednesday 18 July.
Chris Sawers, of SBC’s Museum & Gallery Service and the St. Ronan’s Wells Support Group, said: “The garden is really taking shape and the Beechgrove design will make it a great place for local people to visit. I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful.
“We’ve had such great support from local people, school pupils and from local businesses – so a huge ‘thank you’ goes out to them. With all the interest this has generated, I’m certain the garden will be well used and enjoyed for years to come.”
For more information, contact Chris Sawers on 01896 833583 or 07801 308991.
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