Sunday 29 November 2009

Dunbar Close Walled Garden

Dunbar's Close Garden, looking toward Calton Hill

We visited Dunbar's Close Garden, off Edinburgh's Canongate, yesterday as part of the Bank of Reason walk. This walled garden is laid out in a 17th-century design, with yew hedges, clipped hollies and fruit trees. In those days, all the rich people lived on the Canongate. They had land and created formal gardens.

The garden is named after the Edinburgh writer, David Dunbar, who owned buildings on either side of the close in the 18th century. These days, Dunbar's Close Garden is looked after by Edinburgh Council's Park Service and is open to the public.

Green Yonder Tours is a company that specialises in tours around the hidden green areas of Edinburgh, including a tour devoted to the Hidden Gardens of the Royal Mile (including the Dunbar's Close Garden). You can visit their website here.

4 comments:

Katherine said...

I love that garden, Jon and I went to it when we were first together, there was a sculpture there as part of the Festival. Now I like to go round in my lunchtimes.

Anonymous said...

It's a wee gem of a garden. I led a guided walk round it in a break from a renga at the SPL. Kevin & Fatma had their wedding photos taken there recently after their handfasting.

Rachel Green said...

Oh, how fabulous!
I love walled gardens.

Ascender Rises Above said...

would love to visit that garden; so impressive how many gardens have been kept alive for so many decades. Inspirational.