The Dalkeith Guerrilla Gardeners grew from the idea that the individual has personal and collective responsibility for the environment around us and more specifically for the appearance and care of Dalkeith Historic Town, a place they all care passionately about.
With Local Authority budgets stretched and resources in decline, Dalkeith town centre had started to look a little uncared for. During the summer of 2019, Denise McKenzie formed Dalkeith Guerrilla Gardeners, a group of motivated, like minded individuals who were ready to roll up their sleeves and make a difference to the landscape of Dalkeith.
They tend to neglected public spaces; planting and maintaining them using native species and bee friendly plants and ensuring the shrubbery and bushes are maintained all year round for the public to enjoy. They regularly weed, tidy and litter pic – tidying the towns bus shelters and tending to public seating areas.
Their biggest project to date has been the removal of overgrown shrubs from the large beds at the local library. With the help of their local tool hire they were able to replant the area with beautiful new trees, grasses and shrubs. The final planting display was only possible due to the overwhelming level of public donations and support generated from a successful crowdfunding campaign.
Since 2019 the group has gradually grown from a team of 3-6 individuals to a team of around 12-20 Guerrillas, plus an additional team of around 10 who focus on “Keeping Woodburn Tidy.” The process has been true community activism that has led to the formation of many other small groups across the Local Authority.
