Glorious Gardens – the Second Stage is under way

Scotland’s Garden and Landscape Heritage’s Glorious Gardens project is entering its second stage.  The purpose is to produce a conservation strategy for the historic designed landscapes of the Clyde and Avon Valleys based on site records, researched and written by a team of volunteers, during Phase 1 of the project.

The first of a series of three workshops was held on 23rd October 2017 in Lanark to introduce this stage of the project.  Discussions considered the scope and purpose of the Conservation Strategy, with several points emerging:

• The need to identify the current condition of significant landscape features
• Determining their relative priority for conservation – perhaps considering what would be missed most if lost
• The need for ongoing management and maintenance as well as conservation
• The need for the strategy to fit within the context of surrounding areas
• Recognition of the woodlands of the Clyde and Avon valleys as being very important
• The role of tourism in bringing in visitors and funding
• The drivers of Historic Environment Scotland outcomes focussing on giving local communities ownership of the strategy and promoting health and welfare

This workshop formed a useful starting point for the process which will be continued at two further workshops:

• Workshop 2: 27 November 2017 (Lanark Lifestyles, 2.30-4.30 pm)
• Workshop 3: 22 January 2018 (Lanark Lifestyles, 2.30 – 4.30 pm)

Workshop 2 will be a focussed session seeking to gather answers to the following questions:

• Which key features and elements of the designed landscapes need to be conserved?
• What are the roles of the Conservation Strategy and Guidance Notes for those who will be using them?

Landowners, land managers, community/heritage groups in the CAVLP area, and anyone with a passion for historic designed landscapes and gardens is welcome to join us! Contact Jacqueline Macleod on talamh@hotmail.co.uk/07447 357 257.