FAIRLIE community garden are celebrating 10 years of growth and are welcoming new technology to help them.

The Organic Growers of Fairlie have installed a sign at the pond, allowing visitors to download an app to photograph frogs and other animals in the garden, which then helps to identify what it is.

The sign, supplied by Froglife, notes the importance of ponds, showing plants and the wildlife that is likely found in the pond.

The flourishing gardens, pond and use of apps are a far reach from the old boatyard site which had previously resided in the grounds 10 years ago.

Nancy McQueen of the community garden group said: “The garden gives people the chance to grow their own food and compost and it has some really therapeutic effects on people.

“It gives people that don’t have gardens somewhere they can grow things and it brings people of all ages together.

“We have the Cubs and Brownies come down and they really get in to it, so it’s good fun to watch them helping out.

“Then at the other end we have elderly people with dementia that really benefit from the relaxing nature of the activity and it helps them to get in a routine of coming down, as well as the opportunity to socialise with like minded people.

“It is a very sociable activity and has a real community spirit, we even have an area were people can leave any extra seeds they have, so other people can use them.

“This links in to our seed library in Largs library which allows people to borrow seeds as well as learn how to save them.”

Around 200 members have gardened areas within the site and the club continues to develop the area, with plans for an eco-play area.

Nancy added: “We want to create a play area where the old swing park used to be, it would hopefully have sand pits and water skittling for young children to enjoy.

“We have already received donations from the old primary schools which were being demolished.

“We received snakes and ladders and benches from them, which would be perfect for developing the site.”

“The area as a whole constantly needs looked after, we have replaced 58 raised beds since November which has been a major project for us.”

The site now grows the likes of raspberries, blackberries, pumpkin, squash and even has a mini orchard.