CHILDREN have created a unique comic book inspired by a community garden in Greenock.
Over the summer, 12 nine and 10-year-olds took part in the project at the Drying Green Community Garden at South West Library, Barr’s Cottage.
They learned about the garden from greening officer Julie Anson then worked on creating the comic book with Paul Bristow from Magic Torch and Inverclyde Council staff from the Watt Institution.
In the bright and colourful book, readers follow Leo and Kylie who meet Professor Chilli-Mustard and Flutters the Butterfly who show them the secrets of the garden. Children can learn all about soil and how to help things grow as well as super seeds, polyculture and pollinators.
There are adventures with the Gnome Patrol fighting creepy vines and killer tomatoes, and augmented reality surprises within the pages and even links to a soundscape created by recording plants in the garden with special microphones.
Inverclyde Council vice-convener of education and communities, Councillor Natasha McGuire, said: “This is a brilliant project. Not only have the young people showed their creative side, they’ve learned about the importance of community gardens and growing your own fruit and vegetables. They spent time outdoors learning about the garden and even recorded the sounds to add another dimension to the comic.
“The Drying Green is an important and popular community resource which is well-used all year round. Well done to everyone involved.”
Paul Bristow from Magic Torch Comics said: “We had a wonderful summer working on this. The young people were just bursting with ideas and every week we had something new to work with.
“I love that it’s such a collaborative effort, from the character designs and stories the young people came up with, through to the music and digital elements of the published comic — it’s a great way for folks to learn about what’s going on in community greenspaces and why they are so important.”
The project was funded by Creative Scotland with additional project work supported by Magic Torch Comics Storyworks project, funded via National Lottery Community Fund Young Start Programme.
Copies of the comic have been printed and are in South West Library. The library plans to use the book as an educational resource for schools and families visiting the garden. Visitors will be able to borrow the book from their local library, or read the e-book version on the library’s free Borrowbox app. It will also be available to read online.
The Drying Green was created in 2022 at a rundown site next to South West Library. A volunteer gardening group is supported by the RIG Arts greening officer through the Scottish Government Investing in Communities Fund. It is a shared greenspace for community growing and outdoor events with a number of raised beds growing produce which is shared among volunteers and the local community.
