The Demonstration Garden in full bloom

As we start emerging from yet another lockdown, we have been looking back on the last year. The Community Engagement programme has found many ways to adapt over the last year from publishing recipes online to growing and donating over 900 kilograms of vegetables to food projects in Edinburgh.  We have also delivered more than 70 online workshops to keep communities engaged in growing and nature.

However, we too have missed the opportunity to connect with others and we miss seeing the regular community groups we work with. We reached out to them and asked how nature helped them in 2020. Laura, from our Community Engagement team, summed this up beautifully:

“The wonderful quiet tranquil time in early 2020 when transport was minimal was the most amazing time to experience the outdoors and I will never forget feeling like we had jumped in some way back in time and experience a time when we would have been more connected to our greenspaces and noticed them that way. The “sound baths” I took were a rare, wonderful opportunity that I found so soothing and I will remember them for a long time.”

Outside the Botanic Cottage

How did you stay connected to nature in 2020?

Year long round outdoor swimming. Getting into green and blue space as much as possible. Realising the importance of nature connection has led me to add learning material on this topic to the wellbeing group work course that we run
Catriona, The Ripple Community Hub

We organised for funds to be raised to get individuals to the Botanics during lockdowns and restrictions as a safe place to meet with volunteers. The gardens are not only what some refer to as a psychologically informed space (conducive to healthy interactions) but a nice way for people to engage and establish a relationship that gives a pleasant distraction to meeting one to one in a clinical setting
Tracey, Rowan Alba

2019-2020 was an challenging year with unknown virus and lockdown. We organised zoom meeting and small nature walk in woodland. Encourage members to have a house plants and provided information on that, how to look after them!!
Nila, Positive Future Lunch Group

What is your favourite local green space?

I took many local walks in my area of West Lothian, farmland, woodlands, coastal areas and canal paths. I spent most of the time birdwatching spotting some lovely unusual varieties I had never seen before when walking. I also discovering new views of my local landscape and were able to at least say hello to fellow walkers.

I love the quiet local floral meadow we discovered tucked away that is a very peaceful site and a walk through the Oatridge college grounds where I had a lovely afternoon on a frosty day watching a pair of gold crests.
Laura, Botanic Cottage Operations Coordinator

Well, our favourite local green place is Royal Botanic Garden, but group also enjoyed, Rose Garden/Herb Garden at Saughton and Vogrie
Nila, Positive Future Lunch Group

Botanic Gardens – The welcome from staff (Laura) has made some people return to using the Botanic Gardens and introducing some for the first time. 
Tracey, Rowan Alba

Lochend Secret Garden, Craiglockhart Hill
Catriona, The Ripple Community Hub

Do you have any plans for 2021?

We will continue to work with the Botanics as part of or social group as above.  We have a community development worker who will support this process and develop the group and partners. 
Tracey, Rowan Alba

The group is looking forward to the normality to visits the RBGE in near future and have some activities with the staff!!
Nila, Positive Future Lunch Group

I grew some new herbaceous perennials but not really any new food crops. I did buy some new herbs for my garden and had a very healthy crop of apples from my young mini heritage orchard which we are still using up now!
Laura, Botanic Cottage Operations Coordinator