The cameras were rolling in Peeblesshire last week to discover the rise of community gardens flourishing in towns and villages throughout the Scottish Borders.

ITV film crews captured green-fingered volunteers from Borders Food Community in Peebles, and Innerleithen’s Edible Garden, for a Border Life feature which uncovers how communities are being strengthened by the ground up, one garden at a time.

Community gardens are spreading roots across the Borders countryside. Not only are volunteers providing fresh food for locals, they are also regenerating unused spaces, transforming them into lush green patches for all to feast upon. When filming wrapped, reporter Hilary Scott caught up with community gardeners Adam Skelton and Shirley Spence, to ask them how their gardens grow.

THE High Street is the heart of the bustling town of Peebles.

A derelict bit of land behind the former court building has been transformed into a tranquil greenspace and is now the Courthouse Community Garden.

Adam Skelton told the Peeblesshire News: “During the filming we discussed Borders Food Community Facebook Group which is a popular place for people to share food, plants, seeds, tools, and materials, as well as advice and information related to food growing, preparing, cooking and storing.

“Anyone can join the group free and there you can connect with lots of knowledgeable and very helpful grower, composters, cooks, preservers, picklers. The list goes on.

“We also discussed land sharing. Various group members have allowed us to share their land and create group food gardens.”

And the Courthouse Community Garden is one of those havens.

“It was an unused overgrown patch of land and we have converted it into a very productive little garden,” explained Adam.

“There is no contract or rent and we have not received any funding.”

The creation of this garden is down to the hard work of green-fingered volunteers and waste products, which Adam says is a “win-win for all involved”.

He added: “The land owners get their land tended and access to free fresh food on their doorstep and we get to grow as we wish in this lovely space.”

Despite the success of Borders Food Community, Adam says he finds it odd that the vast majority of people are not eating truly local food when there are so many benefits.

“For example there’s the environment. There is no packaging or food miles, it’s so much tastier when fresh and all the nutrients intact and its better for local economy.”

Adam is very passionate about the work of community gardens and is encouraging locals to join Borders Food Community Facebook Group where they can discover their nearest community garden and get involved.

The ITV crew headed to Innerleithen in the afternoon to discover a garden maintained by little and large green-fingers.

Volunteers from community gardens across the Borders gathered at the Edible Garden along with St Ronan’s Primary School pupils.

“Everyone who wanted to got the chance to say a few words. It was great to have people from all the community gardens together in one place discussing more ways to collaborate together to further promote local food growing across the Borders,” said Adam.

The Edible Garden team were delighted to host the ITV Border Life crew.

Shirley Spence said: “We enjoyed meeting the different groups of community growers and making new contacts. We were pleased with the comments and feedback about our garden and learning about other community gardens and their work in the Borders.”

And the children from St Ronan’s Primary School also enjoyed their moment in front of the cameras. “They were talking about what they liked to plant and grow and how gardening has encouraged them to try and eat different vegetables and fruits,” explained Shirley.

“We hope there will be many more initiatives for community growing starting up in other Border towns and villages.”

It might be a wrap for the film crew, but these community horticulturists continue to work hard growing fresh fruit and vegetables in their tasty gardens throughout the year.

ITV will be airing the show later this month, and being involved in the creation of a community garden which is fresh, free and enhances the environment is a worthy 15 minutes claim to fame.