Unexpected Garden Stranraer

Stranraer's Oyster Festival was the reason behind my September visit to this bit of the Rhins of Galloway, and for this occasion I was expecting oysters (had them and they were delicious), shucking competitions, music, celebrity chefs, a proper festive atmosphere, and got them all.

What I was not expecting was a lovely garden featuring repurposed boats and other objects as planters, a wonderfully-painted shed and an interesting initiative behind it.

It might therefore make sense that this garden, and others like it, are known as Unexpected Gardens. The one at Stranraer forms part of a programme to open a total of 12 similar gardens in Scotland.

This initiative originated through associations like the UnBoxed Festival and Scottish Dandelion. Intended to become community gardens, they aim to address issues like food insecurity by allowing people to be involved in the growing of crops, seed exchanges, etc.

The reason behind Stranraer being the target of projects like the Oyster Festival and Unexpected Garden is that this town used to be the main port from which ferries between Scotland and Northern Ireland departed. In 2011 however, the ferry operations moved from Stranraer to Cairnryan, with the former predicted to become another example of post-industrial slump after losing its main employer and economic driver.

With its privileged position on the shores of Loch Ryan, Stranraer's efforts to regenerate their economy are centered on this crucial sea loch. Oysters for the festival come from its pristine waters, with the Unexpected Garden overlooking them.

The boat planter might be the garden's highlight, but nautical-themed decorations abound here, including bouys and lifesavers. The shed, depicting pepper plants is a wonderfully colourful addition to the many shades of nasturtiums, vegetables and wildflowers of the Unexpected Garden.