Botanical Demonstration Gardens

Community Engagement at the Botanics
Our community engagement programme is called Engaging Gardens and is made possible thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

We want to make sure that every person can access and benefit from the health, wellbeing and learning opportunities that Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh's gardens, collections and expertise offer.

We connect health and wellbeing, environmental sustainability, people and plants through a range of activities.

Seasonal Community Workshops
Meet the Gardener drop in

Discover our productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project volunteers, find out what jobs need doing in your own garden this season and have your vegetable growing questions answered.

Demonstration Garden,
Gardening with Community Groups

We provide opportunities for local community groups who want to grow their own food. We have a number of groups who look after their own vegetable plots in the Demonstration Garden and attend each week to work alongside our community gardeners.

Skills Share Workshops

We deliver a range of free workshops in community growing settings. Topics include vegetable growing for beginners, composting, growing winter vegetables and organic pest and disease control.

Kitchen Garden

The Kitchen Garden is supported by Heritage Portfolio Ltd, who look after the cafés onsite. We grow seasonal produce, using organic methods, and make regular deliveries throughout the year directly to the kitchens ensuring that our visitors can enjoy fresh garden-grown produce.

Nature Connections – Health and Wellbeing activities

Food Social

Our Food Social sessions are friendly and supportive opportunities for people to cook and share a meal together. They are especially suitable for those who would benefit from a supportive and social environment.

Dementia-friendly Garden Social and Garden Thyme

A social session for people with dementia and their carers exploring garden themes, with activities and refreshments on the first Friday of each month.

Move More

Gentle gardening and activity for people experiencing cancer.Læs mere