Blooming wonderful: Half of Scotland's best parks are in Edinburgh

Almost half of all of Scotland’s best parks are in Edinburgh, it has been announced.

Princes Street Gardens is one of Edinburgh's 34 parks which have been awarded a Green Flag Award (Photo: Shutterstock)

The capital is home to 34 of Scotland’s 71 parks which have been awarded a Green Flag Award, the park equivalent of a Blue Flag Award for beaches.

It means the parks are recognised internationally for being well maintained, improving mental wellbeing and providing safe spaces for play.

Some of Edinburgh’s most famous parks including Princes Street Gardens and Inverleith Park are on the list, but the Meadows and Holyrood Park both missed out.

The International Green Flag Award are administered in Scotland by the environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Karen Doran, parks leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, said she was “thrilled” by the awards.

She said: “We’re thrilled that the Capital has again scooped the largest number of green flags of any local authority in Scotland – at 34 flags, that’s very nearly half of all flags awarded nationwide.

She added: “Hats off to our outstanding parks staff for their tireless work to care for Edinburgh’s much-loved parks and greenspaces and huge thanks too to all the dedicated Friends of Parks groups for everything they do.

“By working together with the community, we’re looking after one of Edinburgh’s most treasured assets so that everyone who lives in and visits the city can enjoy the many benefits of our beautiful, tranquil and well-maintained greenspaces.”

Derek Robertson, chief executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, congratulated the winning parks and said they provide an “invaluable” asset for communities.

He said: “I would like to congratulate the award winning parks from Edinburgh. Receiving this prestigious international benchmark recognises all of the hard work that has gone into maintaining and managing these precious green openspaces.

“Every single one of these parks provides an invaluable service to the local communities that it serves, from creating a safe space to play, to think, to exercise, helping to address many of the health and wellbeing challenges we face as a country.”

Julie Proctor, chief executive of greenspace scotland, Scotland’s parks and greenspace charity, said she was “delighted” to see so many Scottish parks presented with the awards.

She said: “We know that greenspace is good for people and communities- it makes our lives and places better.

“Our goal at greenspace scotland is that everyone enjoys easy access to quality greenspace which meets their needs and improves their quality of life.”

A full list of the parks awarded a Green Park Award in Edinburgh and the surrounding area are listed below.

Braidburn Valley Park

Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park

Corstorphine Hill

Craigmillar Castle Park

Easter Craiglockhart Hill

Fairmilehead Park

Ferniehill Community Park

Ferry Glen & Back Braes

Figgate Park

Hailes Quarry Park

Harrison Park

Hermitage and Blackford Hill

Hopetoun Crescent Garden

Inverleith Park

King George V & Scotland Yard Park

Lauriston Castle

Lochend Park

London Road Gardens

Morningside Park

Muir Wood Park

Pentland Hills Regional Park

Portobello Community Garden

Prestonfield Park

Princes Street Gardens

Ravelston Woods Local Nature Reserve

Rosefield Park

Seven Acres Park

Spylaw Park

St Margaret’s Park

Starbank Park

Station Road Park

Victoria Park