We held an indoor planting session with our Memories Scotland reminiscence group in November 2024. In this session we planted spring bulbs with some winter pansies on top (something for now and something for later). We discussed memories of the garden and identified herbs that had been donated by a member of the community garden. The group took a pot home and left one each for the Mayfield Secret Garden.
Wildflower Meadow Planting With the Butterfly Conservation
As part of Green Libraries week, the library worked in partnership with the Butterfly Conservation to plant wildflower seeds on the meadow beside the Mayfield Community Centre.
We were joined by pupils from St Ninians Primary and Borestone Nursery. Alice from the Conservation shared information about the pollinators we were planting and how they would benefit the wildlife.
The Butterfly Conservation x Braehead Community Gardens
To celebrate Green Libraries Week, we visited Braehead Community Gardens along with pupils from Braehead Primary’s Eco group. Alice from the Butterfly Conservation taught us all about butterflies and moths and provided us with pollinator plants which we planted into recycled milk cartons. The plants were then shared between the community garden, the school and the Mayfield Secret Garden.
Open Evening
On Tuesday 24th September, St Ninians Library hosted an open evening with garden and wildlife organisations. The purpose of the meeting was to express the intent of the Mayfield Secret Garden project and highlight volunteer opportunities within the local area. We were joined by customers and representatives of the council and library service. Ideas for the garden were noted on a flip chart and an invite to form a new community group was shared.
the Butterfly Conservation, Braehead Community Gardens, Bannockburn House, TCV, Woodcraft Folk, Treelink and St Ninians Primary were some of the groups that presented. Visitors enjoyed puzzles, locally grown produce and seed bomb making.
Rainbow Flowers for Pride
We celebrated Stirling’s first ever Pride by having an eco-friendly craft session in collaboration with Transition Stirling. In our family- friendly art workshop, we repurposed used milk cartons to create unique colourful flowers that came together to make a bright display that sat beside our Reading with Pride book display.
Summer Reading Challenge
Children who took part in the Summer Reading Challenge were invited to take part in the prize giving ceremony. Many of the children had taken part in eco-friendly craft sessions held in the library over the summer and were encouraged to get some ideas from our nature inspired book displays.
Artwork made from recylced materials
The Summer Reading Challenge kicks off again this summer from Saturday 19th June.
Sewing Class
Over the summer, the library hosted a four week sewing class for beginners run by expert instructors volunteering for the library service.
Mini Meetups enjoying the floor cushions
Customers learned how to operate a sewing machine to partake in some up-cycling projects including book cushion covers made from recycled baby blankets that are now used in Bookbug sessions, Breastfeeding workshops held in the centre and the weekly Mini Meetup group for new parents and their babies in the library.
For more information on how to sew your own projects try one of the many books the library has on offer.
Tatakizome Workshop
In partnership with Transition Stirling, the library hosted a summer Tatakizome Workshop, the ancient art of Japanese flower hammering. We learned how to make our own paper from the pulp of discarded books and hammered flowers we had collected from our own gardens. This taught us to be less wasteful and consider how we can make beautiful pieces of art from things we no longer need. A big thank you to Michaela and the children who took part.
Braehead Community Garden Plan Sale
The library was proud to host our first plant sale on 15th June with our local community gardens. Our customers were treated to locally produced flowers and veg. We look forward to hosting again on the 20th May 2025.
Before
Panorama of the courtyard
The inner courtyard space of the Mayfield Community Centre lay empty and unused (other than storing goalposts).
With support from CILIPS Green Library Fund, the idea to turn the space into a garden that could be used by the library and community centre libraries became a possibility.
Work begins in the garden
We contacted the Criminal Justice Team who offered the free labour of cutting back the unruly bramble bushes and laying a whin dust pathway to make the garden more accessible.
A rough plan