Edinburgh Outdoors is a podcast exploring the city’s green spaces and the people in them. From community gardens to secret spaces, learning about the city’s history or just finding a space to breathe, getting outside brings benefit to everyone, and being outdoors in Edinburgh is the best place to be!
West Port Garden is a true hidden gem that that I went to discover with local resident, Jennie Renton. Set at the west end of the Grassmarket behind railings then climbing up the hill from the busy street, it's a remarkable place. Originally created as one of Edinburgh's late victorian 'slum gardens' aimed at bringing nature experiences to local kids, the garden is now an oasis for visitors and locals alike.
Join me as I discover the history of this amazing garden, the idea of philanthropist, sociologist and town planner, Patrick Geddes, then designed and created by his talented daughter landscape architect, Norah Geddes.
You can visit the garden on Sundays between 2pm and 4pm and on other days when the volunteers are there.
The garden is HERE:
And on What3Words: https://w3w.co/month.wiping.skin
The Grassmarket Residents Association, known as Grass, manages the space: https://grassmarketresidents.org/west-port-garden/
You can find them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grassmarketresidentsassoc/
You can view pictures of my visit on the Edinburgh Outdoors Substack: https://edinburghoutdoors.substack.com/
And also on Instagram: @edinburghoutdoors_
And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edinburghoutdoors
14 Sept 2026
Lauriston Allotments: mud huts, pizzas and hedgehogs
Lauriston Allotments, part of Lauriston Agroecology Farm, host multi-cultural gardening and the most vibrant community of gardeners. I met with Lisa Houston to discover how this location has become a hub and home for a diverse range of people. We explored the many wildlife spots and she explained how they'd built a mud kitchen and pizza oven.
Join my exploration of this unique space and its multi-cultural gardening, with many surprises along the way. Lauriston partners with the Granton Community Gardeners who I interviewed in the previous podcast.
The allotments are located here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bTcZ1wXK3jUHDsaK9
The community growing is online: https://www.lauristonfarm.scot/what-we-do/community-growing/
They have a Facebook pagehttps: https://www.facebook.com/EdinburghAgCoop/
And you can view my photographs and video on
Instagram: @edinburghoutdoors_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edinburghoutdoors/
Substack: https://edinburghoutdoors.substack.com/
8 Sept 2026
Growing in Granton
Granton Community Growers is a wonderful example of a neighbourhood initiative that started small and then grew beautifully in ambition. From a one-off meet-up, when a group got together to dig up a street corner, to a sourdough bakery producing pay-what-you-can bread, many street corners now in production, and a garden where people come together to cook and eat, this is real community in action.
To the backdrop of the most delicious food smells, I met with Tom Kirby who told me how he started the project and how it's grown and developed over the years.
Work is also funded through an initiative called Sowing our Horizons which was created by Marie Amelie Viatte, so she also came along to sit with us in the garden to talk about how community growing is more than just an initiative, but is a way to create new communities and address overreliance on food systems.
Granton Community Garden is HERE
You can view the corner plots created by locals all over this area, including THIS ONE
You can find out more here: https://www.grantoncommunitygardeners.org/
This is where you can buy bread on a Saturday at 73 Boswell Parkway: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XzarEpGDTAJiJmCx8
Sowing our Horizons is here, where you can find out more: https://www.sowingourhorizons.org/
You can see pictures from my visit on
Instagram - @edinburghoutdoors_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edinburghoutdoors/
and on my Substack: https://edinburghoutdoors.substack.com/
Who has been a guest on Edinburgh Outdoors
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Johnny Wells
Transition Edinburgh South team members
Angus Miller
Hetty Lancaster
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
14 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 22 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
23
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
Contact Edinburgh Outdoors
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Edinburgh Outdoors?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
