A MOUNTAIN Ash was the tree selected by the townspeople to be the first to take pride of place in the Ockment Centre?s Community Garden.
The tree planting marks the start of the major part of the project which has been funded to the tune of £60,000 from the Countryside Agency?s Doorstep Greens programme.
Over the last few months, work has been taking place to transform the large tarmaced playground into a soil canvas for planting to begin and a pergola which divides the area has been erected.
The centre is situated in a built up area and the Doorstep Greens project is all about creating more green spaces close to people?s homes.
The garden, which will officially open next spring, will be a peaceful area for all the community to use.
A second tree ? a mulberry ? originally destined for Buckingham Palace has also been planted.
With his contacts in the trade local gardening expert Tim Argles, who is co-ordinating the project, managed to get himself one of a batch of trees from Endsleigh Garden Nursery at Milton Abbot which were heading for the palace.
?The owner is a good friend of mine so Okehampton has got in before the palace,? he said.