Volunteers & Community
We have many opportunities to volunteer at Kirklands. Our aim is to inspire the next generation of gardeners but to achieve that we welcome contributions from experienced gardens, enthusiastic beginners and others to help us build Kirklands as a visitor attraction and as a benefit to the community. It has been said that the main gardeners, Peter and Gill, are getting a little older and need assistance; Peter thinks it is just the plans get more ambitious, ideas and planting opportunities more diverse and the more species to plant and seeds to grow.
If you want to learn a new skill, spend time in a peaceful, beautiful place, make new friends, work off some energy constructing woodland pathways, build a wall or a raised bed, grow vegetables for the family, take photos, post on social media, grow twenty seven varieties of candelabra primulas from seed, take hydrangea cuttings, serve tea or sit and talk to visitors; we have a place for you.
In 2025 Kirklands contributed £1,400 to local charities, including Saline Heritage Society to help fund an archaeological dig in the old church yard, Saline Garden Club, West Fife Woodland and Scotland’s Garden Scheme that supports Maggie’s, Perennial and The Queens Nursing Institute among others. The garden is great resource for events and fundraising and we are open to ideas from local charities.
Walled garden
Who would not want to such an idyllic site to grow fruit and vegetables. If you can’t get an allotment but would like to have home grown produce, we are looking to share our walled garden. There is a 36ft x 8 ft greenhouse to get things started, lots of raised beds and hardly a weed in sight.
Woodland paths
The Saline Glen pathway was reopened in 1979 along the course of an old mill lade. Over the years various groups have contributed to building, improvements and renovations. At the end of the ‘70s hundreds of dead elm trees were removed, then dozens of sycamore as it was classed as an invasive species and now ash die back is ravaging the woods. We aim to plant hundreds of trees to improve the diversity and keep the glen a special place.
Digging muddy drainage trenches in the pouring rain or on a frosty morning is great exercise. Age and ability are no barrier; in the 90s the landscaping at the start of the glen was supported by a concrete mixing crew of average age 75. We also plant 1,000 of bluebells and snowdrops each year.
If you would like to help but don’t want to get your hands dirty, organising volunteer events, applying for grant support, supplying coffee or posting on social media to raise awareness are all vital tasks.
Children gardening Courses
We would like to use Kirklands to inspire future generations of gardeners; growing vegetables, flowers, understanding trees or just getting out in the natural environment.
In 2026 we have small number of low cost gardening courses for children (see the Courses and Events page). We would like to expand this programme but need help and ideas.
Learn a new Skill
If you would like to learn new gardening skills, we can help. In return for your time as a volunteer, we can offer you training in your chosen area. Peter has over 50 years garden experience and is keen to pass on knowledge. Last year we had a horticultural student looking for hands on propagating experience plus a total gardening novice that just wanted to gain some experience.
We have supported two WFGA trainees during 2025. We have really enjoyed their input into the garden and hopefully, they have improved their knowlegde. We supported the WFGA with composting workshop for a dozen trainee gardener. Gill did think that it was impossible to talk about compost for six hours but Peter managed!
If you would like a formal training programme of just to work alongside experienced gardeners, we would welcome you.
Experienced gardeners, builders, joiners
Naturally experienced gardeners are welcomed with open arms. If you are looking for an hour’s weeding on sunny afternoons in May or can pot up a hundred meconopsis seedlings and nurture them until ready to plant out, we can find the role that suits your needs; or just muck in as part of the team for the thousand things that always need attention in the garden.
We have 200 year old walls falling down that need to rebuilt with lime mortar plus a few from 1980 that were not build properly! We have replaced most of the raised bed in the walled garden over the last three years but path edges are on the 2026 list, having been put in 20 years ago, they are looking worse for wear – hardly a skilled joiner task more a handy man.
For the skilled joiner, we have some beautiful slabs of ash to craft into new benches around the garden.
Social Media
For the armchair volunteer, we appreciate that our social media presence makes a real difference. We are looking for assistance in raising our profile, publicising our courses and building our on-line image.
Pick up the phone now and give Peter a call:07557 094498 or email peter@kirklandsgarden.co.uk