WHEN parks bosses from Scottish Borders Council dropped the herbaceous border bombshell earlier this year, the future of West Linton’s blooming beds was thrown into doubt.

Budget cutbacks meant that the local authority could no longer afford to provide pretty plants.

And they couldn’t even supply the manpower to pull out the few weeds.

Peebles had already adopted many of its flowering areas to prevent them from being grassed over.

And the green-fingered brigade in West Linton decided to do the same.

The village’s Horticultural Society answered the community council’s SOS - and if last week’s planting was anything to go by the spring and summer of 2014 could be the most beautiful yet.

Iain Silver, president of West Linton Horticultural Society, said: “West Linton residents have been very supportive of the Society’s shows and plant sales over the years and we saw this as an opportunity to give something back to the Community.

“The Linton in Bloom Committee – a separate organisation - already maintain a large number of tubs which they plant twice a year and our adoption of these beds will contribute to the overall appearance of the village.” The Horticultural Society spent two Saturdays adding organic materials to the existing beds in a bid to improve the soil, followed by a planting session of just over 100 roses.

Iain added: “We received a lot of favourable comments from people whilst we were working on the project, all of whom expressed disappointment in the council’s decision to reduce their service provision. I would also like to put on record our appreciation of the financial support and we received from the Community Council as without that it would not have been possible to proceed.”