A burst of colour has bloomed around the offices, facility buildings and banks of the Crinan Canal thanks to the green fingers of Scottish Canals’ staff.
Throughout the months of June and July and in between the bustle of transiting boats, canal staff have been indulging their inner Alan Titchmarsh and planting a collection of buds and blooms – mostly grown over the spring months by the team themselves.
The dedicated and enthusiastic team has been appealing for cuttings and shoots from around the community, and likeminded green-fingered gardeners have provided an assortment of shrubs that staff members have grown over the spring time period, ready for planting to add a splash of colour to the canal during the busy summer boating season.
“The Crinan is rightfully known as Britain’s most beautiful shortcut and the team take real pride in ensuring it lives up to that description. A few years ago we installed our own polytunnel on the canal at Crinan Cottage with the aim of growing our own blooms to plant at offices and facility buildings along the waterway.
“We appealed for cuttings and a few of the canal staff have been cultivating Begonias, Petunias, Busy Lizzies and a whole lot more over the past few months. It’s fantastic to see these beautiful blooms brightening up the canal now.”
The team’s plan is to continue to build on the project in the coming years, increasing the number of plants grown on site and even developing their own grown compost.
Donna Mallan, Customer Service Manager, added: “The Crinan Canal is a natural beauty spot but the team takes great pride in celebrating and improving the sections that they are stationed along. The addition of the plants and flowers really brightens up the areas around our locks, bothies and facility buildings and it’s been fantastic to see the canal in bloom.
“We are delighted that the team is so dedicated and enthusiastic about improving the canal and the experience of our customers. Who knows what the future holds for this project – perhaps next year we can look at attracting volunteers to help bring even more of the Crinan Canal into bloom.”
For more information on the Crinan Canal, see www.scottishcanals.co.uk/canals/crinan-canal
