Work has gotten underway on a new sensory garden in Duns on behalf of Berwickshire Housing Association (BHA).

BHA has now started work on transforming a vacant piece of land into a vibrant sensory garden for Community Integrated Care residents at Station Court in Duns.

As the result of a competition involving the Station Court residents, the new garden will be named 'Bumblebee Garden'.

The site for the new 'Bumblebee Garden' is currently surrounded by housing with the only access from Station Court and the garden for the local residents who live in the housing support units there.

The garden will be run jointly by BHA and Community Integrated Care with assistance from the residents.

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The Bumblebee Garden will provide a quiet social space for residents to interact, grow plants and vegetables and invite neighbours, family and friends to share and enjoy their new communal garden. The garden will have a range of plants and features designed for sensory stimulation and will have spaces for social gatherings.

BHA's prime housing contractor, HART Builders will undertake the work and will contribute to the project as part of their Community Benefits programme.

Community Integrated Care's Regional Manager, Rachel Fourie, said: "This sensory garden will mean so much to both the people we support and our colleagues, giving them a space where they can enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful surroundings of Station Court. Sensory gardens have been known to improve health and well-being, which is why this space will be so important to our service in Duns.

"We'd like to thank our housing partners, Berwickshire Housing Association, for allowing us to use the space to create what promises to be a fantastic area for us to enjoy, and for their hard work and commitment to the project so far."