Credit: Dundee Heritage Trust
Credit: Dundee Heritage Trust

Photo Essay: Dundee’s heritage and nature

Dundee Heritage Trust will host the latest International Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition, at Verdant Works Museum this year.

Alongside IGPOTY Exhibition 17, images showcasing Dundee’s rich greenery and incredible heritage will be on display as part of a special award competition.

From Magdalen Green to the Tay Rail Bridge, to Morgan Academy, the images have been captured by photographers from across Dundee.

‘We are so excited to be bringing IGPOTY back to Verdant Works after the success of last year,’ said Sophie Hinde, Heritage Manager at Dundee Heritage Trust says.

‘The inclusion of ‘Dundee’s Heritage and Nature’ Special Award has made this year even more special. Look out for linked talks and workshops in the upcoming months.’

John White, winner of Dundee’s Heritage and Nature Special Award competition said: ‘I accidentally found details of the Dundee Heritage Photographic competition online and as I have been taking photographs in and around Dundee for many years thought it worth entering and was surprised and delighted to win and look forward to see my photograph on display at Verdant Works.’

We take a look at some of the pictures from Dundee’s Heritage and Nature Special Award competition.

 

Balgay Park, John White

I captured the decorative cast-iron Balgay Bridge designed in 1872 and erected in1879, amongst a sea of autumn foliage, combining a piece of Dundee’s industrial past with nature.

Magdalen Green Bandstand, Callum Stanton

The historic and iconic bandstand (circa 1890) of Magdalen Green, sits in Dundee’s oldest city park, which has been in use for approximately 400 years. In the background, a train passes by the site of the old Magdalen Green railway station, an often forgotten piece of heritage that closed in 1956, and would have given residents easier access to this valuable green space.

Church of Psychedelia, Gary Annan

Taken from underneath the Tay Road Bridge, looking towards St Andrew’s Church, the supports of the bridge were vibrantly transformed by commissioned design graduates of DJCAD, Fraser Gray and Martin McGuinness.

Morgan Academy, Maciej Lewandowski

In 2022, Morgan Academy, a state secondary school in Dundee, teamed up with Eden Project to transform their former lawn into an expansive, colourful wildflower meadow. Planting was funded by Dundee-based charity the Alexander Moncur Trust.

Nature Reclaims Queen Victoria Mill, Callum Stanton

Queen Victoria Mill, was an important jute mill, which today sits in the centre of Blackness Conservation Area, in Dundee. Since 1990, the historic mill has been left to deteriorate and is being quickly reclaimed by nature, with a variety of plants and birds inhabiting the site. It’s heartbreaking that this important part of heritage has been neglected, but the contrast between the natural and industrial materials delivers a beautiful, yet foreboding message.

Life on the Scouring Burn, Callum Stanton

The Burnside Mill is named after the Scouring Burn, one of two sources that watered and powered the city. Blackness, the densest area of industry in the city, was built to take advantage of the Scouring Burn to power the steam engines in the mills. Today, the burn still runs under Brook Street where this photograph was taken, making it likely this tree is still drawing from the water, even after the city no longer needs to.

Tay Rail Bridge from The Law, Mila Georgieva

This photo was taken near the base of The Law on a lovely sunny day in June 2021. My composition is well positioned with the Tay Rail Bridge and some of the University of Dundee’s buildings in the background. Some of the University campus greenery stands taller than some of the buildings, helping to add colour and vibrancy to the cityscape.

 

IGPOTY 17 will be on display in the atmospheric High Mill at Verdant Works Museum from 5 April – 28 August.

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