Description:
South Queensferry on the edge of Edinburgh is a popular spot for foreign tourists and day trippers. Away from the busy High Street, in the conservation area, lie a number of surprising and quite different gardens. Apart from the first and fifth, the gardens are best accessed from Hawthorn Bank, behind and parallel to the High Street signed
Walled Garden from there.
36a High Street The entrance is situated unpromisingly between public toilets; walk through to a total surprise! This garden started life as a concrete yard with pergolas at each end, entirely enclosed by walls and buildings. Apart from three raised beds, everything is in pots. There has been no plan, rather acquisition of plants through the owner’s interest and gifts from friends. There is a bit of everything here: a small alpine garden, a tree collection, a pond and some grasses.
6 Mid Terrace A surprising sanctuary of stone walls, beautiful blooms, colourful shrubs and an idyllic pond. There is a roof garden with a view of the local bell tower. Accessed from Hawthorn Bank car park.
2-4 Mid Terrace A blend of inheritance and imagination, part legacy from the previous owner, part work-in-progress. It unfolds in two contrasting spaces: one, a quiet contemplative courtyard where guests can pause; the other a lively patchwork, every bit of soil filled with a mix of local favourites and unusual imports. Together they create a garden that is both restful and ever evolving. Accessed from the rear at Hawthorn Bank.
1 Mid Terrace A secret walled garden accessed through a green door in The Vennel. You will find a herbaceous border, fruit trees, hens and a pond. A lovely, organically gardened green space yards from the busy High Street.
12 East Terrace Access is only for the intrepid! Enter through the rear garden gate on Stoneycroft Road and down 19 steps, only for the sure-footed. This is one of the few intact and full-sized walled gardens remaining in the High Street conservation area: you will find old and new fruit trees, ever-evolving borders and raised vegetable beds. Features include roses, a 50 year old fig tree, a bee bole or two, and an uneven brick path probably from bricks recycled from a nearby demolition.
Hawthorn Bank Community Garden and Orchard This true community garden is a wonderful oasis of calm off the busy High Street, which all ages can enjoy, whether with a coffee and book, or a safe place for small children to explore. It also houses a beautiful mosaic mural of Queensferry. Adjacent is the community orchard and soft fruit garden.
Rosebery Hall Garden This public garden, in a prominent place on the High Street opposite Orocco Pier restaurant, was partly refurbished in 2025. Overgrown bushes have been removed and replaced with flowering shrubs. The renovation is ongoing and has been achieved with the help of the local Rotary Club as well as GreenFerry volunteers. Funding for planting is from Orocco Pier.
Directions:
Queensferry High Street is in a long-term process of renovation. You may have to negotiate road works to access gardens along the High Street. As parking is an issue; public transport is advised. From Edinburgh, take a 43 bus to Queensferry, or one of the many Stagecoach buses that stop on the southern bridge approach road before crossing into Fife. From the North, buses stop at the south, or take a train to Dalmeny. If you do come by car, there is some parking at The Binks (west from High Street) and beyond the east end of High Street (Newhalls Road). Both are busy with tourists; further space is up Hawes Brae.
Other details:
Tickets and maps from 36a High Street and the (rear) entrance to 2-4 Mid Terrace. Teas in the Community Garden.
