29 Edinburgh parks win prestigious award in national competition

Edinburgh's finest parks have scooped up coveted Green Flag awards for their beauty and quality green spaces.

Taking in a view of Edinburgh Castle whilst enjoying the warm weather in Inverleith Park in Edinburgh. Picture: TSPL

A record 29 of Edinburgh’s parks achieved Green Flags in the 2015 national competition, which recognises high quality green spaces. The City of Edinburgh Council is now ranked second amongst UK local authorities with regards to the number of successful applications.

The Capital received almost half of the 65 flags issued in Scotland. Three new Edinburgh parks, Ferniehill Community Park, Rosefield Park and Starbank Park received the status for the first time in 2015 joining the other 26 parks already waving their Green Flag.

A beautiful Autumn in Prince's Street Gardens. Picture: Jon Savage

The Green Flag Award is the UK’s national standard for parks and green spaces and is administered in Scotland by environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful. To make sure the capitals parks are kept to a high standard, each year the Council checks all its parks and gardens using Green Flag Award criteria. This inspection is carried out by formal Green Flag judges along with other council officers, council partners and members of the public. From this assessment, each park is given a parks quality score.

Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “The awards are given to those parks that give everyone access to a safe, clean and pleasant space where they can relax, meet, play and exercise and I’m delighted that so many of our parks can now wave a Green Flag.

“The quality of Edinburgh’s parks continues to improve. I am very proud of all our award winning parks and those who work all year round, and in all weather to make our parks beautiful.”

The Council has been taking part in the Green Flag Award scheme 2007, when two Green Flags were achieved.

A beautiful Autumn in Prince's Street Gardens. Picture: Jon Savage

The complete list of Edinburgh’s flag winning parks are:
Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park

Braidburn Valley Park

Corstorphine Hill

Craigmillar Castle Park

Easter Craiglockhart Hill

Ferniehill Community park

Ferry Glen and Back Braes

Figgate Park

Hailes Quarry Park

Harrison Park

Hermitage of Braid and Blackford Hill

Hopetoun Crescent Garden

Inverleith Park

King George V and Scotland Yard Park

Lochend Park

London Road Gardens

Morningside Park

Muir Wood Park

Pentland Hills Regional Park

Portobello Community Garden

Prestonfield Park

Princes Street Gardens

Ravelston Woods and Park

Rosefield Park

Spylaw Park

St Margarets Park

Starbank Park

Station Road Park

Victoria Park