A STOBO tree trunk has been carved a new lease of life.

Felled at Dawyck Botanic Garden, near Stobo, the tree trunk has been carved into a new sculpture which celebrates the Garden's links with North America.
Peter Bowsher, Champion woodcarver, has crafted the piece of beech into a First Nations figure, a representative of people of North America and British Columbia.

Standing at around eight feet tall, the sculpture celebrates the Garden's collection of trees that are native to North America. Many of the trees were introduced to Dawyck by plant hunter David Douglas, after whom the Douglas fir is named.

Graham Stewart, Garden Curator, said: "We are very pleased to have unveiled another chainsaw carving to accompany David Douglas, who was originally carved in 2013. Our new sculpture depicts a First Nations figure, representative of people of North America and British Columbia. It was in those areas that David Douglas, the renowned Scottish plant hunter, spent much of his time exploring and plant collecting.''

Based at Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway, Peter Bowsher has won the annual Carve Carrbridge Championship eight times. He said: "I work in forestry as a timber harvesting manager and I am aware of the early plant collectors. I was delighted to be asked to produce a carving of a First Nations figure at Dawyck as I was born and brought up in Canada.''

The sculpture is located close to Scrape Burn between the Dynamo pond and Beech Walk.

The new carving complements the story of David Douglas the intrepid adventurer who contributed hugely to the make-up of Britain's gardens and woodlands, before coming to a mysterious end at the bottom of a bull pit in Hawaii. 

Dawyck Botanic Garden has many of David Douglas's original plant introductions including Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) from the Pacific Northwest of America. There is also a plant trail dedicated to his memory and plant introductions.

Dawyck Botanic Garden, Stobo, Peeblesshire, is part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. It was the first Garden in the country to be recognised by VisitScotland of 5-star status and is the first carbon-neutral Garden in the UK.

It is open daily from February 1 to November 30.