A team of gardeners with learning disabilities has transformed a neglected patch of land into an attractive leafy garden.

The strip of land behind Kendal's Abbot Hall Social Centre was heavily overgrown and strewn with litter, broken glass and old tree stumps, but has now been cleared and planted with flowering evergreen shrubs by the team from Horticare, part of Cumbria Care.

Kirkland Partnership chairman Marilyn Molloy admired the gardeners' handiwork and said it was another boost for the efforts to rejuvenate Kirkland and make it a more attractive destination for visitors and locals.

Social centre management committee chairman Philip Ball explained the strip of land along Blind Beck had been very overgrown, and the police had been called because of problems with youths hanging around. Crime prevention officer Terry Belshaw advised clearing the area to help prevent anti-social behaviour.

Former mayor Coun Ball was also keen for the social centre to play its part in the regeneration of Kirkland.

The garden area can be seen from Peppercorn car park, and will also be a prominent feature when a bridge is built to link the car park with Abbot Hall park.

Coun Ball praised the efforts of Horticare, and also thanked South Lakeland District Council, the Kirkland Partnership, and other social centre committee members, including the retiring treasurer Marilyn Waiting, for all their support.

Horticare supervisor John Taylor said the land had been "in a dreadful state" with brambles, briar and lots of old tree stumps to remove. Over three months, the gardeners pulled out the weeds by hand, dug and prepared the ground, and replanted with flowering evergreen shrubs such as hebes and mahonia, for year-round colour and low maintenance.

Mr Taylor explained that Horticare was part of Cumbria Care, and offered day care to people with learning disabilities.

Neil Dobson said transforming the garden had been "hard work", especially taking out the tree stumps and stubborn brambles.

Members of the handicrafts group, which meets at the centre, gave the garden their seal of approval, saying it was "much cleaner and pleasanter".

Meanwhile, inside the social centre, the toilets for disabled people have been refurbished and upgraded by gill-dockray-architects to meet with legislation.

l Anybody interested in taking on the role of treasurer of Abbot Hall Social Centre is asked to contact Coun Philip Ball, tel 01539-727428.

May 1, 2003 15:31