A DUNFERMLINE gardening club welcomed a special guest last week after being shortlisted for a regional award.

Provost of Fife Jim Leishman visited Duloch in Bloom to learn about their work in the area and the experiences of the volunteers who take part.

It was arranged by Fife Voluntary Action (FVA) after the group was shortlisted for the organisation's Green Environmental Award.

Teams from Carnegie Primary School and Woodmill High School's DAS unit were there to speak with Cllr Leishman and explain the different activities they enjoy taking part in.

Debi Brown, founder of Duloch in Bloom, thanked volunteers and donors past and present for their help and support to create gardens for the community to enjoy.

She gave special recognition to Halbeath and Duloch Community Council and Ronnie Collins from West Fife Woodlands, who made benches which will be installed at the park.

Debi was also grateful to a mystery donor who sent the group a powerful new cordless strimmer.

She said: "The strimmer is a very thoughtful and generous gift, which we absolutely appreciate.

"It is making light work of tidying the long grass and weeds."

Duloch in Bloom was established in October 2020 by Debi, a retired landscape gardener and former wholesale plant nursery sales manager, with an aim to bring colour and biodiversity to Duloch Park.

The club has introduced a stumpery to encourage insects and bugs and has rescued plants from being sent to the skip by previous owners.

Members are also working to create fairy gardens for explorers of all ages and have raised funds by selling plants and pots in order to install two benches.

Duloch in Bloom did not win the FVA award, with Debi providing an update: "We didn't win this time, but we were so happy and proud to be there to see our friends get their well deserved awards.

"As Derek Henderson said, 'We're all winners anyway' and he's right.

"We win every time we see someone enjoying the gardens we lovingly care for, and every time we see the bees and insects enjoying our work, and every time someone stops to say thank you, and every time the school children learn to plant a flower or a seed or a bulb with us."