Family reflections on the Liverpool Lennons

Last August the remote Scottish village of Durness was the subject of a BBC TV programme. Because of John Lennon's childhood association with the area, the Durness Gardening Group contact the TV show 'The Beechgrove Garden' with the idea of creating a garden to commemorate John's connection with the area.

Due to Durness's unique location in the northern most part of Scotland, with its exposed position and poor soil, the TV gardeners agreed that it was the most challenging project they had ever tackled. But with the help of the local community a garden was created - the most northerly community garden on the UK mainland - where the memorial to John Lennon consists of a set of three standing stones featuring lyrics from the Beatles song 'In My Life'. As well as the memorial, the garden also has a courtyard, a fountain and many sheltered areas which feature local crafts and incorporates local history too.

John's cousin, Stanley Parkes, and his wife Jan attended the official opening of the garden in August, 2002. Stanley donated copies of his letters from John, together with various newspaper cuttings and family photos and these are now on display in the village hall.

Photo © Clive Grewcock Photography

...............................................................................................................................................................

Take a photo tour of the memorial garden in Durness with Stanley Parkes' pictures taken during the development stage of the garden in August 2002:

The three carved standing stones created by Neil Fuller

The Village Hall tourist sign

John Lennon Memorial Garden

The three carved standing stones created by Neil Fuller

Fountain and floating stones designed and painted by Lotte Glob

The Durness Millennium Cairn

Fountain and floating stones designed and painted by Lotte Glob

The cairn stone entrance of the garden

The archway into the courtyard with individual sculptured and painted square tiles by the children of Durness Primary School

One year on ...

The Durness gardening project has generated interest far and wide, even receiving a mention in the 'Philadelphia Inquirer'!

Nearer home, Graham Bruce, chairman of the Durness Gardening Group, has been amazed by the number of Beatles fans who have already made the trip to the village to see the tribute, "One year on the garden has definitely become a stopping off point for visitors. There has been a constant stream of visitors. I am amazed at the dedication of Beatles fans. One couple from Liverpool were on holiday in the South of Scotland when they heard about the garden and made the 600 mile detour to visit Durness. But probably best of all was the day some camper-vans pulled into the village hall car park and three families with musical instruments piled out and played an impromptu Beatles concert while gathered around the memorial stones!'

The pictures here do not illustrate the fact fully enough, but this is an extremely remote part of the British Isles which takes the full brunt of the Northern weather. The plants and shrubs are beginning to establish, and this summer, with the help of local volunteers, the garden looked better than ever. However, more time is needed to see the plants fully develop. Ronnie Lansley, from the official Durness website (Durness.org) says "We are hoping, if we can find funding, to plant a large area of trees to give a 'live' area of shelter protection. Without actually seeing the site, it may be difficult to imagine how exposed it is."

The garden one year on, featuring new coloured stones surrounding the John Lennon Memorial

If you have been to the garden, email us at info@lennon.net and tell us about your experience.

Stanley talks about John's love for Durness and the memorial garden.