FORESTRY bosses are sprucing up the new home of Peebles Show.

Forest Enterprise Scotland bought grazing ground around Nether Horsburgh, near Cardrona, seven years ago.

Long-term plans to create an exemplar forest on the site and connect it to Glentress are taking shape.

But more immediate intentions will see the planting of 80 parkland trees around the Show site over the next few weeks.

John Ogilvie, Forest Enterprise Scotland’s planning forester in the Scottish Borders, told the Peeblesshire News: “Since we purchased Nether Horsburgh there has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes, developing a woodland creation plan and carrying out public consultations.

“The planting at the event site is in keeping with the landscape character of the Tweed Valley and will be an added natural attraction to the landscape.

"The trees will be protected, so the fields can be used for grazing livestock the rest of the year.”

Oak, Scots Pine and Norway Maple are being planted along the valley floor close to the A72 to create a more attractive landscape that blends into the natural surroundings.

The parkland trees are a small part of a wider programme of timber planting higher up in Nether Horsburgh which will see nearly 250 hectares of new trees.

The main planting is due to start next spring.

The management of Nether Horsburgh is also being carried out to compliment on-going work involved in developing Glentress Forest as a major tourism and recreation destination for visitors.

Mr Ogilvie added: "Higher up at Nether Horsburgh we have started work on a new forest road that will link Glentress with the A72.

"This new road will become the main route out for timber - in time we won’t need to take timber out through Glentress which is a major safety bonus.

The parkland planting is due to be completed by the end of June.