Burgh Beautiful

Progress Report - January 2008

We were pleased that Linlithgow has again been noted in the 2007 Beautiful Scotland Competition in the summer. The portfolio accompanying the visit is available in the public library and on the LCT website www.lct.org.uk, and there was useful feedback. The judges discovered the beautiful common garden at St Magdalene’s, among other places singled out for praise, such as the station. We got 3 Thistles (out of a possible 5). We were rather disappointed that there were no placements after the 1st town (Forres won in our category, as usual!). We intend to keep going, as the competition gives a focus to our efforts. The Awards Ceremony in September in Dundee was a good day. All the finalists displayed photographs of their efforts together with their Judges' portfolios.

We again manned a stall at the Advent Fair, selling bulbs for Christmas. Liz Burrows organised a very successful raffle, thanks to generous support from local businesses. Unfortunately, an organisational problem forced us to have our stall in the Robing Room in the Burgh Halls, rather than at the Cross, as planned. Finding us there was major feat of detection, and this reduced the success of the day.

In October we planted winter flowers (mostly bellis) and spring bulbs in various places. Be prepared to see them emerge in early spring. One place where nothing will happen is the Low Port bed, where rabbits have comprehensively eaten all our plantings. Any anti-rabbit ideas welcome.

The Fun Dog Show will take place again this year, on Saturday 3rd May. More on this at a later date. Joyce Paterson is again organising it with Historic Scotland. Volunteers who can help on the day are welcome. If you can help us, please contact Joyce (tel: 01506 847021). This is not only a useful fundraising event, but also a real source of fun for children.

We hope to have a stall at the Farmers' Market in April (lots of perennials), and our usual May sale on Saturday 31st May (bedding plants etc.) at the Cross.

Burgh Beautiful contributed ideas to the Town Centre Management Team on how to spend grant money improving the town centre. Jim Saunders, at West Lothian Council, has now changed jobs within the Council. His work in collaboration with Burgh Beautiful has been part of the success of our venture since it started, and we are sorry to see him go.

Kirsty Leonard has just returned from a well-deserved long break in Australia visiting grandchildren. No doubt she will come back with new ideas. Watch this space.

If anyone with an interest in this area would like to get involved in the project, please contact Kirsty Leonard (01506 848427)

• Burgh Beautiful Homepage