Funding has been approved for a new therapeutic garden at a homeless centre in Dundee.
The Lily Walker Centre will be given almost £25,000 to create a garden with space for service users to grow food and plant bio-diverse plants.
It will include a new pond, fruit bushes and trees, new planters, a shelter and a picnic table.
The aim is to improve the mental health of residents and staff while providing a space for people to learn new skills.
The garden is named after Dundee social reformer Lily Walker.
Born in 1863, she spent her life campaigning to improve conditions for women and children working in industrial Dundee.
Improving Dundee Parks
Funding for the garden was approved at Dundee City Council’s neighbourhood services committee, where several other projects were also given the green light.
Councillors approved spending more than £400,000 between eight projects.
Other work will include a new steel adventure trail at the park in Fintryside. This will include a balance beam, chin-up bars, monkey bars, stepping pods, mini net twist and gate climber.
Baxter Park will get a Robina Adventure trail. This will have somersault bars, stilts, stepping posts, balance beams, monkey bars, and a wobble bridge.
In addition, paths, fences and gates will be improved at various parks in Dundee.
The projects will be partially funded by a Scottish Government grant.
‘Wide scale investment’
Neighbourhood services convener, councillor Anne Rendall said: “It’s very positive to see such wide-scale investment in our outdoor areas across the city.
“Some of the projects are particularly exciting with the revamp of the Lily Walker centre’s reception area to include a therapeutic garden for service users.
“Additionally, I know the investment will create new outdoor opportunities for children and families with the installation of adventure trail equipment at five different play parks and the upgrade at another.
“It’s important that we continue to keep Dundee’s outdoor spaces attractive and safe for everyone to use.
“The commitment to spend to maintain and improve the current offering in the city is paramount and will allow more people to get outside and enjoy their neighbourhoods.”