Breathing life into Guildhall Square, L/Derry
11 June 2007
By Ivan Black
Conservation Volunteers in L/Derry was approached by the BBC Breathing Places committee to create a nature garden in the Guildhall Square, as a centrepiece of the Breathing Places festival on 9 June 2007. L/Derry was the only city in Northern Ireland to be selected as part of the 15 festivals across the UK. The festival offered a great day out for all the family with lots of activities for children and many exhibitors and traders on show.
The main attraction on the day was the garden created by Conservation Volunteers. The Guildhall Square was transformed from a blank canvas to a “beautiful wild garden” as quoted by the local press. The garden was complete with trees, hedges, wild flowers, pond, willow dome, wooden sculpture by a local artist and a log cabin.
The creation of the garden was down to one man – Ivan Black, Conservation Projects Development Officer – but he had many helpers in getting his plan from paper to reality. The project was 3 weeks in the making at Gransha Wood, but the real challenge began when it was time to transport the whole garden to the Guildhall Square. This all began in the “wee small hours” when the rest of us where tucked up in bed. The setting up of the garden began at 4.30am and was complete by 9am – ready for visitors at 11am and the official launch of the festival. However, the garden attracted attention from the early hours with many people watching it being set up.
The incentive behind the festival was to get everyone who came along to “Do One Thing” for wildlife in the city no matter how big or small.
| Relevant links |
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| BBC Newsline coverage (over 6MB Windows Media file) |
| Contact our L/Derry office |
| External links |
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| BBC Breathing Places |