ON March 24 volunteers celebrated everything they had achieved in the Walled Garden at the Museum in the Park, Stroud.

Since last July they have freely given their time to begin the long process of bringing the garden back into public use after 20 years of dereliction.

Their work was funded by Arts Council England and was delivered by the Museum in the Park in partnership with the local environmental organisation, Stroud Valleys Project.

Alongside the work of the volunteers the funding also allowed a number of public events to be held which focussed on the garden.

Kevin Ward, Museum Development Manager, thanked the volunteers and all those present, adding "walled gardens are generally considered warming and pleasurable places that help people to feel better and enjoy the outdoors and this garden, even at this stage, is no different" he added that "everyone involved should feel proud of what they have achieved in the first year of a long-term project, which ultimately will benefit the community now and in the future".

The work of the volunteers forms part of the first phase of a wider project to bring the walled garden back into public use.

It will feature a new Community Learning Space and entrance from the Museum through to an orchard and productive growing area.

The project is supported by the Friends of the Museum.

“To mark the end of this phase of the project, each volunteer chose a small object, something related to their Mondays in the Garden, to place in a ‘time box’“ explained Ann Taylor, Museum Learning Officer.

“There was a woolly hat, a tea bag, a fossilized bone and so on.

The TimeBox was ceremonially buried in the Garden.

Each volunteer then carved his name onto a disc of Ash cut from the Garden, to be mounted as a plaque in the Garden shed.

The Friends of the Museum provided cakes while the volunteers added notes to the festive bunting, suggesting ideas for the future of the Garden when it will be open for everyone to enjoy.”