A project aimed at transforming a neglected Mearns manse into a thriving community garden has reached its first big milestone.
Volunteers in Inverbervie staged a birthday party for the Voyage of Life initiative to mark a year since the green space opened its doors to the public.
More than 2,500 people have already visited the garden, next to Bervie Parish Church in the village’s King Street, during the last 12 months.
The Brighter Bervie group spearheaded the project, which has featured on the BBC’s popular Beechgrove Garden.
The organisation was launched at the start of 2014 with the aim of brightening the area.
In addition to the Voyage of Life garden, the team also worked on the RNLI flag garden.
Visitors from as far afield as the US and Germany have since visited the attraction.
The nautical-themed amenity includes a model lighthouse and slipway of trees representing the stocks of shipyard.
Tom Campbell, chairman of Brighter Bervie, said Saturday’s event marked a “significant milestone” for the group.
He added: “The public response in the last 12 months has been extremely favourable and a lot of people are really enjoying and appreciating the garden.
“Locals are using it as a nice, quiet, reflective space and we are getting visitors in from all the ‘airts and pairts’.
“We see the garden very much as an outreach from Bervie Parish Church and although it is a walled garden, it is in the spirit of ‘church without walls’ because we are taking our church into the open.”
