Cumnock Memory Garden

The Green Action Trust works with numerous organisations including private, public and third sector to deliver environmental and regeneration works throughout Scotland.

Working in partnership with Cumnock Action Plan, Green Action Trust designed this dementia friendly space for the local community.

Cumnock Action Plan identified the need for a dementia-friendly space, given Cumnock’s ageing population with more than 25% over 60 years old. It is estimated that dementia affects one in 14 people over 65 and one in six over 80 in the UK.

While there are a small number of organisations in Cumnock that cater for the elderly, most of these are based indoors. Cumnock Action Plan decided to lease the site from the council to take forward their idea for a welcoming and accessible outdoor space. Works were carried out to provide a central pergola and raised planters’ area with sensory colourful planting and wildflower meadow to provide sensory cues as tools for reminiscence, creating a familiar, relaxing and safe space.

To construct the memory garden, we undertook the following operations:

• Site clearance
• Excavations
• Construct a drop kerb within the existing road kerb – provide required road traffic management for works in road carriageway
• Lay precast concrete and aluminium edgings
• Lay asphalt and semi bound gravel path surfacing
• Erect metal fence with double opening gate
• Install oak pergola
• Install woodblock planters
• Prepare, cultivate and plant shrub beds
• Prepare planting pit and plant tree with supporting stakes
• Prepare, cultivate and lay grass turf / seed

The completed area now creates a colourful and interesting space for the local community and provides habitat and forage for pollinators and other wildlife.

Coloured benches have been installed, which provide space to rest and connect with nature and also support navigation of the site by those with dementia.