JAN 10 AGM NEXT MONTH
Would you like to attend our annual social gathering for friends and supporters, which takes place after our AGM? It's in the St Peter's Heritage Hall, Howie Lane on FRIDAY 19TH FEBRUARY. The speaker this year is Ian Talboys of the City Countryside Ranger Service - the topic - Wildlife in Aberdeen. More details from our secretary
Carol Page

Oct 09 PLANTING TIME!
Would you like to help us with our winter planting plans? Then come along to the police station car park at 9am on SATURDAY 17TH OCTOBER - with trowel in hand and you will be made most welcome! For further information contact Catherine Lacy

Sept 09 IT'S SILVER AGAIN!
The Beautiful Scotland judges have awarded Culter a Silver in their Urban Community category, the second time we have received the accolade. The award was collected by our members Jean and Sandy Cook at a ceremony in the Beach Ballroom, attended by In Bloom groups from all over Scotland.

The judges praised our clean graffiti-free streets and the high level of community participation in our fundraising and community planting schemes. Their suggestions for further improvement? More planting of permanent (rather than annual) plants and shrubs, and a higher level of participation by businesses with their own frontages - ideas we will work on in the coming year!

July 09 PREPARATION FOR THE JUDGES
Will Culter win an award in this year's Beautiful Scotland competition? It's not all about community planting schemes - involvement by businesses and residents is essential. But Carol and Catherine of CIB are playing their part!

June 09 CULTER SCHOOL GARDEN
This month we've been busy creating a "sensory garden" at Culter School - with the help of the pupils of course!

May 09 GALA
Thanks to George Arthur, Ruth Mireylees and Jean Cook we had a superb float at the Gala this year.We also ran a flower recognition competition - won by Agneta Calderwood of Tigh-an-Commainn

March 09 SPRING HAS SPRUN
Here's s sight to brighten the day - one of our wall mangers which were planted out along North Deeside Rd by member Dick Gagel.

March 09 MEGA LITTER PICK PLANNED FOR APRIL
We aim to start the year with no fewer than three sessions of litter picking - to give our village a good "spring clean". To start the ball rolling our intrepid organiser Carol Page has arranged a clear up by a class at Culter School in the Coronation Park area on 1st April. That one is trictly for the kids - but there's more to come - watch out for more info!

Feb 09 TIME FOR OUR ANNUAL SOCIAL.

Friday 20th February will be the date when we tell our many supporters of our progress and plans and offer them some hospitality by way of thanks for all their help - whether financial, in labour or in kind - at our annual AGM and social event. The guest speaker this year wil be Kate Stevenson of Beautiful Scotland. If you haven't been invited already but would like an invite, just email our secretary Catherine Lacy

Dec 08 A HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON TO ALL CULTER IN BLOOM SUPPORTERS

We've had our busiest-ever year, developed the Kennerty Community Corner and gained a silver award in the Scotland in Bloom scheme. All thanks to our band of volunteers and supporters. Sincere thanks to all - and here's wishing you a happy 2009. Our next committee meeting is in the Pop In at 7.30pm on Wednesday 14th January

Oct 08 IT'S PLANTING TIME AGAIN. We're looking for volunteers to plant bulbs in several spots round the village this autumn. Saturday 1 November is the starting date (9am at the police station, but if you can't manage then you can collect some bulbs and choose your own time to plant them! Contact Catherine Lacy Tel 01224 733710 for further information.

Sept 08 IT'S SILVER! - At a Beautiful Scotland Awards Ceremony in Musselburgh on 17th September Peterculter was awarded a Silver certificate in recognition of its efforts in 2008. Erik Stien is shown receiving the award from Sheena Richardson the Provost of East Lothian.

August 08 JUDGEMENT DAY - During their judging tour Hendy Pollock and Stan da Prato from Beautiful Scotland took the opportunity to open formally our "Kennerty Community Corner" in the presence of local councillirs and sponsors of our latest horticultural project. Seen here are (from left) Margarethe Simpson of Shell, Councillor Alan Milne, Hendy, Paul Barlow of Easter Anguston, Stan and our secretary Catherine Lacy.

July 08 THE JUDGES FROM BEAUTIFUL SCOTLAND ARE COMING TO CULTER
Monday August 4th will be the day when we receive our assessment visit from the judges for the Beautiful Scotland scheme. Henderson Pollock and Dr Stan da Prato will tour the village for two hours with representatives of the City Council and Culter in Bloom.
Peterculter has been entered in the Urban Community category and is in competition with Ardler,Dundee, Prestonfield, Edinburgh and Uddingston, Glasgow.
The assessment goes far beyond horticultural planting schemes - these account for only 70 points of the 200 point theoretical maximum that they can award. Sustainable and biodiversity schemes and plans, general smartness and freedom from graffiti and litter and local public and business support for improvement are the other criteria.
The judges will take the opportunity to open our latest development the "Kennerty Community Corner" - a landscaped area with a new bench which was made possible by suport from the Shell UK Community Fund and other sponsors. After the tour they will meet with representatives and supporters of the Community Council and Culter in Bloom at the Heritage Hall, Howie Lane. For full information on the tour please visit the Minutes section of this site ( July 08 meeting).

May 08 THREE FAIRIES AT THE CULTER GALA
CIB committee members Catherine, Carol and Jean worked their magic on the visitors to Culter Gala in May - and raised £40 with an innovative flower recognition competition!

May 08 PLANTING AND LITTER PICKUP DATES FIXED. Our big planting day will be SATURDAY 7 JUNE, meeting at the Police Station at 9am.Volunteers are very welcome - bring your trowel and a watering can - we'll need to knock on some doors for water! The litter pickup, organised by Carol Page, will be on the following Saturday - 14 JUNE,also starting at 9am - this time at the turn off to 55-71 Coronation Road. Coronation Park will be the main area to be cleared, but parties will also be sent off in other directions. Volunteers also very welcome - protective gloves, high-vis waistcoats and litter bags will be provided.Help to clean up your community! More info if needed from our secretary on 733710.

April 08 KENNERTY COMMUNITY CORNER NEARS COMPLETION. You can find news on this development and our other ambitious plans for 2008 in our April minutes. Resd all about it below under Minutes and Reference Documents!

Mar 08 AGM 2008 - MINUTES AND CHAIRMAN'S REPORT NOW AVAILABLE - click Minutes and Reference Documents on this site to view them.

Mar 08 HELP US TO BEAUTIFY THE VILLAGE IN 2008- and get a free shrub for your own garden! Until 17 March we will offer a "bare root" potentilla FREE to all private residents in Culter who make a donation of £10 or more to Culter in Bloom. Contact our secretary now for more information
Catherine Lacy Tel 01224 733710 - or post your donation to our treasurer Nicola Hector 8 St Ronans Drive

December 2007 Culter in Bloom wishes a peaceful Christmas holiday and a happy festive period to all our helpers. We look forward to a busy year in 2008 - our fifth year in existence.

November 07 - Work began on creating our new "community corner" on Kennerty Brae. We're very grateful to Easter Anguston for clearing the site and for the sponsorship of Nicol of Skene Limited who "laid the foundation" with a paved area free of charge. This will give access to a public bench which will be located there in the Srpring. Meantime new soil will be put in around it and shrubs, bulbs and flowers will be planted over the winter.

October 07 - All hands were on deck for 9am on Saturday 13th October - the autumn clear-up which began at the Police Station on North Deeside Road from 9am.

By the way - have you seen our latest acquisition? It's a four tier planter which we have located on Malcolm Road. We'll take down the upper layers in winter but it will give year-round colour in future to this previously grass-only area.

New ECo City Awards for our committee

25 Aug 07 - Today we won an Eco-City award from Aberdeeen City Council as a result of our Coronation Road project - the classification was Improving the Urban Environment. In addition we scooped the Gold Award for all 2007 classifications!

The certificates were presented at the Aberdeen Blooms show in the Hazlehead Park by Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins, along with two very welcome cheques totalling £1500! Our committee will have no difficualty in deciding how to spend these - ideas and projects are literally queuing up for us.

Coronation Park now open for business

16 June 07 The city council has now completed the path network and located two public benches made of recycled materials giving attractive views across the Dee Valley. Our volunteers have also sown wildflower seedss by the path verges and planted "plugs" of wildflowers in the new wild areas among the trees which we had also recently planted. It was time for the grand finale!

Today Councillor Marie Boulton and Alister Clunas of Aberdeen Countryside Project visited the site to view a commemorative plaque which we have placed on the bridge, and two others on the benches recognising the funding support we have received - from ACP itself, from the Balmoral Group and the Gala Fund.



We also got very welcome help from Craig Pirie and members of Culter Boys Club to clear the whole sports ground and new recreation area of litter - despite teeming rain, which accounts for some of the "hoodies" in the photo!

Summer planting now under way

Starting Monday 4th June every evening at the Police Station from 7pm. We will be working from east to west clearing and replanting our numerous containers through the village.ALL VOLUNTEERS WELCOME! For more details see our minutes of the meeting of 30 May, now available under Minutes and reference documents below.

Next meeting Wednesday 30th May in the Pop In - 7.30pm

There will be plenty to discuss - planting plans for the summer, the developments at Coronation Road, our new "mini community garden area" - and much more! Interested? Then just come along to listen! The minutes of the last meeting are available in the reference section of this site.

29 March 07 Tree planting at Coronation Road

With the help of Aberdeen Countryside Project we have provided some new local woodland for future generations!. 245 native species trees. Thanks to all volunteers who helped!

Wed 7 March 07 Next committee meeting in Pop In 7.30pm

12 Jan 07. Minutes of January 07 meeting now available

Select the "Minutes and reference documents" section below to view

18 Oct 06 A NEW BRIDGE FOR CULTER

Thanks to grant assistance from Aberdeen Countryside Project and the Balmoral Group we now have a new bridge at Coronation Road. This is phase 1 on the plan to widen access and provide biodiversity to this City-Council-owned area, which is the only major public open space left in Culter. Why not take a stroll and pay it a visit? (Access from the service road leading to 47-71 Coronation Road)

2 Oct 06 ANOTHER MERIT CERTIFICATE FROM BEAUTIFUL SCOTLAND IN BLOOM.
NEIGHBOURHOOD AWARDS ASSESSMENT NOW AVAILABLE

The BSIB judge who visited us in August has delivered his report! You can see it in full under Minutes and Reference Documents on this site. He complimented us on the increase in planters and the new initiatives to involve householders with mangers and baskets - but felt we could improve in relation to litter, the maintenance of benches and railings in public areas and also businesses with their own premises.

NEXT MEETING Tues 9 Jan 07 - 7.30PM IN THE POP IN

Read the minutes of our October meeting in the Minutes and Reference section on this site
We have obtained a grant from Aberdeen Countryside Project (ACP) for the first stage of our ambitious and long-standing project to improve access and biodiversity in the public open space area off Coronation Road.
This will entail building a second bridge over the burn there to give easier access to pedestrians wanting to walk around or across the area. The second phase will involve planting of wildflowers and native species trees and placing two benches ar the top of the slope to admire the views. Finally a network of paths will be created. You can see an outline plan of the scheme in the Library. Work on the first phase is expected to start in early October - with volunteers from Culter in Bloom and ACP.

The train returns to Culter - 20 July 06
It's some years since Culter last saw a train - the station closed in 1963 - and it certainly didn't look like this one, However the vision of our member Jim Farquhar brought a mini-train back to grace the entrance to the village as a floral souvenir of our past. Made of whisky barrels from Speyside Cooperage, it will be planted out twice a year and watered by public-spirited neighbours. The plants were kindly donated by Fox Lane Nurseries. Here you see committee members Tim and Helen Ramseyer planting them back in June.
See us at Culter Gala - 15 May 06
Culter in Bloom is in attendance at the Gala on 27 May with a display of our past activities and future plans, including a litter clearance campaign in the Bush.
More barrels, baskets and mangers this summer>- 20 April 06

The photo above shows the first bulbs coming through from our winter project at the bottom of the War Memorial path. However there is much more to come in he summer!By early June you should see around 30 new barrels, 25 new hanging baskets and 17 new wall mangers, all on North Deeside Road. This follows offers by members of our team to local residents and acceptances by a public-spirited majority to "adopt" them by watering them over the summer. Another sign that our goal of "planting pride in the community" is really working!
New constitution - check out our objectives
Our committee is presently discussing a constitution and the following proposal has been made for our objectives:
The aims of the organisation are
a)to improve and enhance the appearance of the village of Peterculter
b) to encourage the participation and interest of the residents and business community in improving and maintaining an attractive,sustainable environment.
c) by example and by ongoing publicity to inform and involve the community of our progress and activities and so promote awareness of environmental issues.
What do you think? Post your comments in the forum section of this site.
Minute of 29 March Meeting now available
Plans for more barrels and baskets - new ideas for floral wall mangers and railing boxes - raised bed at village enmtrance under way - anti litter campaign planned. Read all about it on the minutes section below!
Next meeting 29 March
Meeting at the Pop In as usual - planting plans for Spring 06 and review of all ongoing projects.See below for some of the guests at our successful annual meeting in the Heritage Hall in February.


Amelanchier success
The offer of a shrub to supporters of Culter in Bloom which we made in the recent newsletter issued with the February Culter Courier has proved very popular - with 37 donations received. Thanks to all for their generosity!

New Containers on NDR
Have you seen the ten new mini-barrels at the gates of properties along North Deeside Rd between the PLoughma and Priory Hill? These were supplied to householders by Culter in Bloom. We will change the display twice yearly in return for a commitment by the homeowners just to keep them watered. Their gates are also part of the gateway to Culter - and we appreciate their help!

Jan 06 Minutes now available
You can now read all about our proceedings at the last meeting - see the Minutes section below!
Party on 3 Feb
Culter in Bloom holds its annual reception for member,helpers and sponsors in the Heritage Hall on Friday 3rd February from 7.30pm. Team convener Erik Stien will give a short presentation on the work and plans of the committee.

Newsletter to go out with Culter Courier
Culter residents will receive a four page news letter on the progress and plans of Culter in Bloom along with their Culter Courier in mid February, thanks to local supporter Jon Strachan of Tierney Strachan Consulting, the Community Council which agreed to the distribution - and all the helpers who will deliver it. It will contain an offer of a free flowering shrub for any resident donating £10 or more to the CIB funds.

Bright idea comes to life
Team treasurer Nicola Hector and member Jim Farquhar made it to the pages of the Deeside Piper on 26th January, in an article by Kathleen Robertson about the new developments at the Borsalino - War Memorial junction, where the Rotary Club of Aberdeen Deeside has helped us to plant bulbs, shrubs and a Himalayan (white barked) birch. See the picture under "Our sponsors" below.

Seven prunus for seven households
Jim Farquhar has been busy with his neighbours on North Deeside Road. He has "sold" seven prunus kanzan (upright pink flowering cherry trees) which have been sourced by CIB at a bargain price and planted in their front gardens for £10 apiece - bringing glorious Spring colour in years to come both to them and visitors to the village.

Next commmittee meeting Tues 7th Feb
Members are invited to the next meeting on Tuesday 7th February at 7.30pnm in the Pop In where we will progress our plans for 2006 projects.