Published: Thursday, 12th November, 2009 6:00am

Operation St Mary's Pleasance

PUPILS from Knox Academy armed themselves with shears and shovels to spruce up St Mary's Pleasance in Haddington last week.

A group of S5 pupils at the Haddington high school is working within the community in a bid to earn a conservation and outdoor activity award in the Mobex Activity Award Programme (MAAP).

Pupils have planted 500 narcissus, 1,000 crocus and 400 fritillaria in a bid to improve the environment surrounding St Mary's Parish Church and Haddington House.

Last Wednesday (see picture), a group of 25 S1-S6 pupils donned their gardening gear to help out at the picturesque site.

The school intends to help out with the general upkeep and improvement of the garden throughout the next year.

They plan to work with Haddington Garden Trust, the body responsible for the maintenance of St Mary's Pleasance.

Dr Roger Kirby, chairman of the trust, said: "These bulbs should make a tremendous display in the community orchard next spring, together with the snowdrops which are to be planted later."

The 1.6-acre garden lies behind Haddington House, which dates from 1648.

It was designed in the 1970s with trees and plants known to have been in cultivation in Scotland in the 17th century.

The garden includes a mount, sunk garden, a walkway of pleached laburnum and a boxed hornbeam allee.

The recently renovated cottage garden and orchard of fruit are part of a major restoration that is now underway by the Trust.