What’s On

“Roving Mad” – The Swells | 2 December 2023

Duddingston Kirk Hall, 7.30pm (Doors open 7pm)

After last year’s success with ‘Love, Loss & Dating’, The Swells are back with their most recent show which was performed at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

‘Roving Mad’ is an evening of Jazz Cabaret with stories and song about travel to odd places, meeting odd people and having odd experiences.

BYOB – soft drinks available

Tickets: £12 from banderson456@hotmail.co.uk or from Eventbrite


Roving Mad poster

Why not become a ‘Friend of the Garden’ for only £15 per annum? As a Friend of the Garden, you will be supporting the maintenance and future development of this extraordinary garden.

Application form is available from Barbara Anderson, please email banderson456@hotmail.co.uk 

Christmas Wreath Making Workshops | 9 & 10 December 2023 | FULLY BOOKED

12-4pm, Millar Hall (Garden Café), Duddingston Kirk Garden

WORKSHOPS NOW FULLY BOOKED

We are delighted to offer again this year our ever popular Christmas Wreath Making Workshops.

Claudia Pottier, our Head Gardener, will give a demonstration and be on hand to encourage and help throughout. 

All materials for the wreaths and decorations are provided, along with tea/coffee and homemade cake. We advise you bring gardening gloves and secateurs. 

For more information, please contact Dorothy Blacklock at dorothy.blacklock@btinternet.com 


Why not become a ‘Friend of the Garden’ for only £15 per annum? As a Friend of the Garden, you will be supporting the maintenance and future development of this extraordinary garden.

Application form is available from Barbara Anderson, please email banderson456@hotmail.co.uk 

Winter Talks Programme | October 2023 to April 2024

Millar Hall (Cafe) at Duddingston Kirk Garden, 7.30pm – 8.30pm

We now have the list of next season’s Winter Talks which will take place on the first Thursday of the month from 5th October 2023 – April 2024 (with the exception of January); refreshments afterwards.

The talks are free, but a donation to the Dr Neil’s Garden would be welcomed.

Take a look the exciting and varied list of topics below – be sure mark the dates in your diary...

Thursday 5 Oct 2023
Jewels of the Forth  | Ian Archibald
The Firth of Forth has been for centuries one of the major gateways to Edinburgh and Scotland from Scandinavia and the Baltic. This presentation shines a spotlight on the deserted islands of the Forth. All within viewing distance of the land, many of these abandoned islands are home to tales that deserve to be better known.

Thursday 2 Nov 2023
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Road to Swanston and the Pentland Hills | Mike Lewis
This talk describes the route that Robert Louis Stevenson reputedly took from Edinburgh’s New Town to Swanston and the Pentlands.   

Thursday 7 Dec 2023
The Falklands War 1982 – A Fighting Royal Marine’s Perspective  | Brigadier Iain Gardener
Ian Gardiner was a rifle company commander in 45 Commando and he ‘yomped’ with his Marines across East Falkland and captured the Two Sisters mountain in a furious night battle. He will explain many of the wider aspects of the war as well what it was like to take men into battle in this most challenging of environments.

Thursday 1 Feb 2024
The Great Tapestry of Scotland  | Dorie Wilkie
Dorie was the stitcher coordinator. She took on the huge job of recruiting and organising one thousand stitchers – making the tapestry one of the world’s largest community arts projects.

Thursday 7 Mar 2024
The Rise of Rhubarb  | Kath Hay
The introduction of rhubarb into Edinburgh by Sir Alexander Dick and links to the arrival of the printing press. Dr Neil’s Garden has an interesting connection to this story.

Thursday 4 Apr 2024
Dr Elsie Inglis  | Lesley Orr
The woman who wouldn’t sit still! Eliza Maud “Elsie” Inglis (1864 – 1917) was a Scottish medical doctor, surgeon, teacher, suffragist, and founder of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals.

Why not become a ‘Friend of the Garden’ for only £15 per annum? As a Friend of the Garden, you will be supporting the maintenance and future development of this extraordinary garden.

Application form is available from Barbara Anderson, please email banderson456@hotmail.co.uk 

Exhibitions in Thompson’s Tower

Last Spring and Summer was our most successful year so far for exhibitions in the Upper Chamber of the Tower. I hope you were able to get along to some of these. It kicked off with our Artist in Residence, Brigid Collins completing her year as Artist in Residence with an exhibition which was a fantastic opportunity to see and buy the work that the garden had inspired during her year.

Some very exciting ‘Breaking News’. We have been fortunate in securing a grant to carry out necessary maintenance to the Thomson Tower. This grant will allow specialist treatment to the walls. It will not only protect the Tower but improve the look both externally and internally. We are thrilled, and very grateful to FCC Communities Foundation for this. We will keep you informed of our progress.

All the artists have found the Tower to be the most idyllic exhibition space. Whether professional artists or amateurs exhibiting for the first time, all have only had positive things to say about their experience. If you, or anyone you know, would like more details of hiring the Tower for an exhibition please contact Barbara Anderson at banderson456@hotmail.co.uk

Garden Room Cafe – open from 31st March

As normal the Garden Room Cafe is now open from 31st March

The hours are

  • Thursday and Friday 10:00 to 16:00
  • Saturday and Sunday 12:00 to 16:00

We are always looking for new volunteers. A volunteer shift only requires one shift of 3 hours per fortnight.

If you would like more details contact Carol, the Garden Room Manager on 07742235617.

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