Scotland’s secret gardens: abandoned spaces being transformed by communities through National Lottery funding

Across Scotland, local people are coming together to save forgotten spaces by transforming them into community gardens with funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. They are amongst 587 groups across the country today (22 October) sharing in £19.3 million of National Lottery funding. (a full list of projects is attached [PDF; 0.5MB]).

The funding, set to power up community projects comes as The National Lottery prepares to celebrate its 30th birthday next month. A full list of awards is attached.

From historic walled gardens to derelict playgrounds, some of the successful projects will help people reconnect with nature and each other.

They include Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden who receive £10,000 to host events and gardening sessions at this unique historic site. Local people have campaigned for eleven years to save the abandoned medieval garden from commercial development. The last vestiges of a once grand estate (the 15th century castle collapsed in 1928), the garden itself had been neglected, for decades.

Like the plot from the beloved children’s novel “The Secret Garden”, Isla Brown led a group of local volunteers, to re-discover and to revive the lost garden of Granton.

“It was thrilling to finally have the keys. When we opened the gate the garden was completely covered with bindweed and brambles. It was so overgrown that it felt like walking into a small woodland, though the old paths remained clear enough to guide us through the wild.”

Isla and her team immediately set about reviving the Garden. 

"We’ve planted apple trees as part of our efforts to restore the garden’s fruit-growing heritage. As a botanist, I’ve identified and catalogued the wildflowers that naturally grow here and we make a concerted effort to ensure none are lost as we work to increase biodiversity. Bees and butterflies are also thriving in the garden. 

“It’s surprising how many people say they never knew the garden was here because it’s so hidden from view. It really is a secret garden. We also harvest produce from the garden and donate it to local organizations like Pilton Community Health Project and Fresh Start, who use the food for community meals.” 

The garden may have been lost in the twentieth century but a hundred and sixty years ago, the “lost Garden of Granton” was very much on the map. Isla said “We have records of tourists arriving by boat in Granton, staying at a nearby hotel, and visiting the garden. We even have a 17th-century doocot (dovecote) on the site. The first gardening manual published in Scotland, The Scots Gardner (1683), includes detailed instructions for setting up a kitchen garden. We’ve tried to follow some of those instructions ourselves, adding a historical twist to our modern gardening efforts. 

“Looking to the future, we’d love to plant more native flowers, like snowdrops and primroses, and continue caring for the lovely old roses that date back to the garden’s market garden era. This place has an incredibly rich history, and it’s delightful to see it coming back to life.” 

Mental health support charity Growing Matters also acquired a lease on an historic walled garden attached to Gilmerton House, an 18th-century estate in East Lothian. Today, the charity receives an award of £10,100 to build a pond which they plan to supply with fresh water by restoring a historic well on the site. Once completed the pond will enhance the garden’s biodiversity and host pond dipping sessions for local children.

The once verdant Victorian garden had been left wild and neglected for decades. Once they got the keys in 2016 the group quickly set to work clearing the brambles and bringing the garden back to life. 

Gary Biggar, 59, is one of the volunteers helping to regenerate the garden. He said: "The garden has become a safe haven for many in the community. Our project offers a tranquil, non-judgmental space where people can reconnect with nature and build mental resilience. After the sessions, we gather for tea and cake and a chat. It’s a chance for people to come together and not feel isolated.” 

Gary like many of the volunteers loves learning about the history of the garden: “We discovered an old report from the Caledonian Horticultural Society, dating back to 1885. It detailed an apple and pear congress in Edinburgh where a gardener from Gilmerton presented a new apple variety, named Lady Kinloch, which was met with high praise. This suggests that the garden likely had an orchard in the past.” 

With a focus on sustainability the group have added several features to the garden including a herb garden, alongside vegetable plots, a polytunnel, a native tree forest and a bee area with six hives. They have also built an open-fronted craft shelter, where they host workshops in willow weaving and beekeeping. 

Commenting on the funding Gary said: “None of this would have been possible without the support of National Lottery funding. We celebrated this achievement with our community during our recent open day, marking the occasion with flags and festivities.” 

Residents in Shortlees, Kilmarnock are also getting green-fingered as their group secures an award of £19,999 to transform an abandoned play park into a community space where people can grow their own food without financial barriers.

Project Supervisor, Aimee Takizawa, said: "We aim to involve diverse community members and offer a supportive space for relaxation. With plans to install 70 raised beds, we hope one day to be able to provide the local community larder with produce grown on site. We also plan to run 'Come Cook With Me sessions' where locals can learn to cook cheap and nutritious meals".

The project has made a huge impact for volunteer Christopher Smith, 62. He said: "When I moved to Scotland two and a half years ago, I felt lost and barely left the house for months. One day, I rode my bike to the garden, read about the project, and finally decided to join. I was welcomed immediately, and for the first time, I felt like I belonged.

"I’ve done many things in life, but never had a passion like I do for nature and helping with the climate crisis. The volunteers even encouraged me to take an agricultural course.

"The most important part of the garden for me is the people, the companionship, and the laughter. I feel like I'm rejoining the world again."

Announcing the £19.3 million package of grants, Kate Still, Scotland Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “This November, The National Lottery celebrates its 30th birthday. For three decades, communities have come together, supporting one another and transforming lives through National Lottery funding—a truly inspiring achievement. 

“National Lottery players can take pride in knowing that their contributions allow groups like Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden, Growing Matters and Community Open Gardens Shortlees to help people lead more fulfilling and connected lives.” 

National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, last year (2023/24) The National Lottery Community Fund awarded over half a billion pounds (£686.3 million) of life-changing funding to communities across the UK, supporting over 13,700 projects to turn their great ideas into reality.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk