Blairgowrie Care Home Gets Green Fingers During Lockdown

A Blairgowrie care home has transformed its garden during the UK’s lockdown with help from the residents and a kind donation from a member of the local community.

Muirton House, on Essendy Road, has progressed its ongoing garden project during a period of restricted visiting to the home. Residents have been helping the home’s gardener, Mick McKay, to design a space they all love and can enjoy throughout the warmer months.

Tracie Dick, a friend of Muirton House, donated £80 to the project, which enabled the home to purchase some sleepers to make raised planters. The money was raised by Tracie making crochet rainbows and selling them to the local community.

The garden design inspiration is centred around encouraging the residents to enjoy the space and motivating them to go out and exercise.

Throughout the restricted visiting and when usual activities have had to be adapted, the new and improved outdoor area has allowed residents to get involved with planting and gardening.

One of the residents, Archie Buttar, has enjoyed photographing the new garden with his drone and Marjorie Scott, has taken great pleasure in being back in the garden.

Marjorie said: “When I moved to Muirton House, I brought lots of plants with me from my own garden, as I wanted to be able to keep up my love for gardening. I’ve really liked going back outside and making our garden look nice and pretty for everyone to enjoy. Hopefully, when the weather is much better, we can all sit outside together and enjoy each other’s company!”

Catherine Russell, home manager at Muirton House, said: “The residents have loved watching the progression of our garden plans and they all appreciate the new outside space.

“Some of our residents have also painted some personalised stones to place around the garden which gives a nice touch of everyone’s individuality in the space we all love and share.”