Princes Street Gardens

Princes Street Gardens are a popular and beloved centrepiece to the city. They are the first sight for visitors as they emerge from Waverley Station and the bright green foil of Princes Street Gardens, which are among the finest in Europe, stands out against the muted colours of the buildings that surround it.

In 1140, the Nor Loch was drained, became planted with flowers and bushes, and became known as the “King’s Garden”.

The rubble and unwanted earth dug out for the foundations of the New Town were dumped by horse and cart midway along Princes Street to form the enormous 92-feet high pile that became The Mound. It divided the valley into two sections, and the East Gardens and West Gardens were formed.

As the years passed, slowly lawns, formal flowerbeds, specimen trees, shrubs, statues, and monuments were introduced, reflecting fashion, fancy and the needs of the people.

But it is the combination of that timeless rock with its historic Castle, the sweeping lawns, the fragrance of roses, the whispers of the wind in the trees, the splashed colours of flowers, the fretwork silhouette in grey of the Royal Mile above, the pervading sense of history all around that somehow touches both visitors and local folk alike.