If you make your way to the foot of Arthur's Seat just by Duddingston Loch and pass the old kirk then you might miss out on Dr. Neil's Garden. Unless you are looking for this secret garden you can pass close by and never know what wonders you have wandered past. In 1965 Drs. Andrew and Nancy Neil set about turning a waste ground into what is now an idyllic haven. Their hard efforts have won rich rewards that are openly available for us all to share. Make sure that you take time to look in on this hidden gem.
Through a numbered but unsigned gate I stepped off the cobbled narrow street and was quickly guided off the drive on to the garden path. From the borders of a standard Edinburgh garden I stepped into a horticultural pleasure ground leading over terraced slopes to the marshy edges of Duddingston Loch. The paths looped round the hillside taking me on tours of open and hidden gardened spaces. The loch side is full of life. Where the water meets the land the two come together with extraordinary fertility bringing forth great blooms. The views over Duddingston Loch are fantastic. This open secret garden is a beautiful place to spend quiet time so close to Edinburgh and yet a whole world away from much of the city life.
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