Dr Neil's Garden

 Dr Neil's Garden is a real gem of hidden Edinburgh! Tucked away next to the manse garden of Duddingston Kirk it's a lovely hillside garden filled with large trees, cosy seating and loads of flowers. It also has excellent views across Duddingston Loch to Arthurs Seat. It is at its best on a sunny summer's day like today

The plants include these harts tongue ferns that are looking at their best at the moment

and lots of flowers for the bees and hoverflies, also this wasp (possibly a wall mason wasp, according to Edinburgh Natural History Society but if you have anyalternative ideas, please let me know in the comments!)

Next to Dr Neil's Garden is the manse garden, part of which is currently being used as an outdoor venue for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and part of which is being developed as allotments.

I hope that in the development of the allotments they don't get rid of all the wildflowers that are so good for pollinators


After lunch in the Sheep Heid, a well known pub in Duddingston village we walked along the road to Arthurs Seat. On the way we passed this grayling butterfly, the first time I'm aware of having seen this species! Sadly it didn't look very well and Crafty Green Boyfriend rescued it from the path and put it in the verge. This was the only butterfly we saw all day.....