DESPITE St Ronan's Border Games Week being cancelled this year, there will be a blooming marvellous display in the town reminding locals of their historic traditions.

At a time when everyone is keeping their hands meticulously clean, volunteers from Bonnie Innerleithen and the Edible Garden were getting theirs dirty to plant the summer display in the flowerbeds at the top of Traquair Road.

And the plants weren’t the only things that had to be spaced out – the green-fingered volunteers had to make sure they kept a safe social distance to adhere to government guidelines.

Gordon Daly, Fiona Jack, Julie Waddell and Alex Smithson, along with her family, accomplished a great team effort to weed and place the huge number of plants for both beds.

The plants – including white snapdragon, cosmos, gypsophila, blue nigella, salvia and Swan River daisies – will give a vibrant display of blue and white and will be a welcome reminder of the town’s festivities which were cancelled due to coronavirus.

This season's display has been sponsored by Innerleithen's Ex Standard Bearers in association with both the community trust and community council.

Grown by the children of St Ronan's Primary School under the expert supervision of Alex Smithson, from 'The Edible Garden', the scene promises to be a wonderful splash of colour for the town's High Street.

The Edible Garden has been established at St Ronan's Primary School for more than five years.

It works in partnership with the St Ronan's Youth and Community Centre and received money from Scottish Borders Council's (SBC) Localities Bid Fund last year.

The garden provides a venue for learning how to grow fruit and vegetables using organic methods and has a polytunnel, raised beds, and a fruit orchard.

All pupils from the school participate in gardening activities, and families are welcomed at the weekly garden club when school is open.

Volunteers from the wider community are an essential part of the team that helps gardener Alexandra Smithson maintain the garden.

Secretary of Innerleithen Community Council Gordon Daly has been driving the project forward following cuts to seasonal planting displays by SBC.

He said: “With the help of the school's eco committee of pupils we sowed a range of flower seeds that were germinated in classrooms.

"The young plants were potted up in the garden polytunnel before being planted out in the beds on the High Street.

"The flowers were chosen to celebrate the Games Week colours of blue and white and also to attract bees and pollinators throughout the summer.”