This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Seeds sown for first National Garden
30/10/2001
Scotland's first National Garden got off the ground in
Perth today and is set to become one of the country's
largest tourist attractions.
The seeds were sown when Diageo PLC handed over its
Bell's Cherrybank Garden and Whisky Heritage Centre to
Scotland's Garden Trust. The company has also committed
£1.5 million to help the project take root.
At the handover ceremony, Deputy Minister for Tourism
Alasdair Morrison said the development brought together
Scotland's strong historical links between landscape,
agriculture and the whisky industry but took them one step
further by creating a dynamic and diverse environment.
"In addition to the garden, which aims to be one of the
country's largest visitor attractions, there will be a
business park with facilities for high technology
manufacturing and service companies," he said.
"The development includes road links, a service area for
travellers and a park and ride facility connecting
Cherrybank with Perth's city centre. I welcome this
innovative project which will not only put Perth on the
world map and attract visitors from across the globe but
should help to stimulate growth and guarantee a flourishing
future for Perthshire's economy."
The Cherrybank Scotland project represents a partnership
between Scotland's Garden Trust, Scottish Tartans
Authority, Scottish Enterprise tayside and Perth and
Kinross Council.
The handover of The Cherrybank Project will provide
Scotland's Garden Trust with assets to enable them to
obtain further private-sector funding. Diaego has also
underwritten the operational costs until the project is up
and running.