In November, the Urban ReLeaf Dundee team was invited to take part in Over the Garden Wall, an interactive weekend at V&A Dundee hosted by the University of Dundee in connection with V&A Dundee’s Garden Futures exhibition.
The free public programme brought together a wide range of garden and urban nature themed workshops, talks, displays, and hands-on activities, inviting visitors to explore the beauty, design, science, and resilience of gardens and greenspaces through research and creative practice.
Stories from a Greener City
Responding to the themes of Garden Futures, the Urban ReLeaf team organised two events on Saturday 1st November. The first was an in-conversation panel titled Stories from a Greener City,which explored how local voices were helping to shape Dundee’s green future.
The session brought together perspectives from citizen scientists, designers, planners, and city partners, highlighting the value of both local knowledge and citizen-generated data. Discussions focused on how collaborative approaches were informing better decision-making and supporting the development of a greener, more resilient city for everyone.
The panel featured Professor Mel Woods (University of Dundee) and Professor Husam Al Waer (University of Dundee), Kevin Frediani (National Trust for Scotland), and Johanna Hartley-Zels (Dundee City Council), who shared insights from their work across research, policy, and practice.
Sharing Visions of Dundee’s Green Future
Later in the afternoon, the team hosted a drop-in activity in the upper foyer of the museum, inviting visitors to share their vision of Dundee’s greenspaces in 2050.
Participants were encouraged to draw and describe their ideas and place them directly onto a large map of the city. Ideas were structured around the different ways nature benefits people from wildfire flushing to healthier and calmer cities.
The activity sparked a range of thoughtful conversations about what people value in their local greenspaces, what they feel could be improved, and how Dundee’s green infrastructure might evolve in the future. Ideas ranged from flourishing community gardens to healthier waterways and more functional greenspaces.
All contributions from the day are being shared with Dundee City Council and will feed into Urban ReLeaf’s ‘What If… Stories for Grey to Green’ scenario planning, helping to imagine and plan for more sustainable urban futures.
Looking Ahead
Thank you to everyone who attended the in-conversation session, shared their ideas, and took the time to reflect on Dundee’s green future. Thank you also to V&A Dundee for inviting Urban ReLeaf to be part of Over the Garden Wall.
We look forward to continuing these conversations and using the insights gathered to help shape greener, more resilient cities.
Keep an eye out for our “Grey to Green” scenarios workshops taking place in the first half of 2026.