LAND behind Booths supermarket in Knutsford is being earmarked for a community garden.

Knutsford Town Council is looking at creating a more open and inviting area for the public to use at a small garden area behind Booths on Stanley Road.

“The area is near the town centre and a number of residential care homes, making it an ideal site for a community garden,” said town clerk Adam Keppel-Green in a report to the council’s Environment Committee.

“The site at present is poorly designed and has often been referred to as ‘inside out’, with a number of benches on the outside of the garden and a once landscaped centre which is regularly overgrown and redundant for all but walking through.

“The garden was probably created when Booths was built, and the site was formerly part of the larger Stanley Park which covered the whole site.

“The garden presently contains 21 trees, a number of shrubs and five benches and bins.

“The site is accessible, but the benches are in an area which is not. Booths do not make any financial contribution towards the maintenance of the area.

“The vision for the site is a number of flowerbeds, refurbished benches and a more open and inviting area for the public to use.

“To minimise ongoing maintenance and planting costs, it is suggested the flowerbeds could be predominantly planted with low maintenance plants such as lavender and herbs and grasses with annuals/flowering bulbs to add colour and interest.

“Bee and pollinator-friendly plants could also be considered. The beds could be covered with weed suppressant material and ornamental bark to minimise the need for weeding throughout the season and help moisture retention in the soil.

“Being low maintenance, the beds could initially be maintained by the Town Ranger.

“The transformation could form the catalyst of helping recruit volunteers to work through Knutsford in Bloom or directly with the town council to take on the responsibility for the maintenance.

“It is suggested the community is involved in a planting day, to which surrounding properties would be invited, which will support the recruitment of volunteers.”

The project costs would be £2,513, and the council’s Environment Committee is being asked to consider commissioning the improvements to the area.