The Vennel Cemetery and South Queensferry Mosaic Mural

 As part of my continuing wildlife survey of all the council owned cemeteries in Edinburgh, today I visited the Vennel churchyard in South Queensferry. This cemetery isn't open to the general public so because I'd arrived early, I had to wait for someone from the council cemeteries department to come along and open the gate. While I was waiting, I examined the mosses on the walls of the cemetery, but I also popped into the Hawthorn Bank Walled Garden opposite the cemetery. 

The garden is open to the public at all times of day. In 2019, the Queensferry Mosaic Mural found a home in the walled garden. This beautiful piece of public art, featuring the sights of South Queensferry, involved school children, older people and people with learning disabilities who attended workshops run by Common Ground Arts:

 

It's an impressive piece of work from a distance

 

and the detail is even more impressive:

Standing at the mural and look outwards you get a lovely view of the Vennel Cemetery with the Forth Rail Bridge in the background:

The council van then drew up, so I was able to get into the cemetery, which is a lovely old kirkyard

There were plenty of mosses and lichens growing on the gravestones and on the perimeter walls. It was also lovely to hear several birds singing including song thrushes and starlings. An oystercatcher flew overhead, on its way to the Firth of Forth, I imagine.