The Dandelion Project at The Field

An edible garden is set to spring up in Alness thanks to a hook-up involving The Place and The Blooming Gardeners with Fèis Rois and creative programme Dandelion.

The Unexpected Garden will grow on land at Teaninich Industrial Estate in Alness.

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.

The Alness Unexpected Garden will transform the field on Teaninich Industrial Estate, dividing the 1.6 acres into woodland, growing space, a play area, and a stretch tent for performances and workshops. In collaboration with The Place, which provides support to hundreds of youngsters locally, and The Blooming Gardeners, which works with adults with learning disabilities to provide experience in horticulture, Dandelion’s latest Unexpected Garden will become a unique growing and learning space for the people of Alness to come together.

The growing space will include polytunnels and a garden of 25 beds. The Field will be growing a wide range of vegetables, salad, herbs and flowers using agroecological methods. The Alness Unexpected Garden will grow varieties of fruit and vegetables local to the area, including a tomato variety from Dingwall and a broad bean variety from the Black Isle. With social spaces carved out within, neighbours and visitors will be able to share food and get to know one another in the unique environment.

We are delighted to be partnering with The Dandelion Project and we cannot wait to share more with our community!