Dunbars Close on the Canongate in Edinburgh's Old Town is a reimagined seventeeth century garden and is well worth a visit. Containing eight distinct areas, the garden combines formal shapes with more informal planting and features over 190 plants which were within Scotland around that time. Many have medicinal properties and were brought to Scotland by adventurous plant explores. The garden was created by a charity called The Mushroom Trust.

I explored the garden with regular contributor and local historian, Hetty Lancaster of Hetty's History Walks. She brought fascinating insight into the creation of the garden, as well as the plant explorers who brought plants back to Scotland and were instrumental in building our reputation in horticulture and the stories behind their adventures. We toured the garden and chatted about the properties of the some of the plants, as well as hearing stories of some of the characters who travelled the globe to source what were then the new and exotic - but many of which are now our commonplace garden plants.

In the seventeenth century the Canongate was a suburb of the city and we also learn more about who lived here at the time and Edinburgh suburban living.

To find the James Gordon 1647 map you can search the archives of the National Library of Scotland:

https://maps.nls.uk/view/102190447

The John Slezer picture from Calton Hill, part of an encylopedia of Scottish images - 'The Queen Anne View' - can be found here:

https://maps.nls.uk/view/74419503

The Mushroom Trust created and maintains the garden:

https://mushroomtrust.com/

Books discussed include:

Seeds of Blood and Beauty by Anne Lindsay:

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/collections/author-books-by-ann-lindsay

The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan:

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/collections/author-books-by-sara-sheridan

And finally, here is the location of Dunbar's Close:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7zbj1aBb6FKKxzrV7

The final podcast of Season 1 discovers Edinburgh's fascinating geology and the role played in the eighteenth century by the father of modern geology: James Hutton.

I met up with geologist Angus Miller of Geowalks in the James Hutton Memorial Garden and he filled me in on how Hutton's thinking was so groundbreaking and influential, even in the modern day. We looked at some significant rocks within the garden, which have been brought from all over Scotland, and then walked on Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park, spotting huge rocks which have fallen from the Crags and checking out the Hutton Section: the point where much of Hutton's thinking was inspired. As always, there is also some chat about the outdoors and how it has inspired and supported Angus through his life.

If you would like to know more about Angus Miller and joining one of his Geowalks you can check out his website:

https://geowalks.scot/

Find out more about James Hutton here: https://james-hutton.org/

And visit the locations yourself:

Hutton Memorial Garden: https://maps.app.goo.gl/f5hkMwb9c4nSiWYq5

Hutton Section in Holyrood Park (currently behind a fence, but you can get pretty close and hopefully the fence is going to be removed soon ...):

https://maps.app.goo.gl/f5hkMwb9c4nSiWYq5

Anna Neubert Wood runs her own business, Wander Women. She created it to take women initially - but now everyone including individuals and groups - into the wilds to find peace, tranquility and childlike fun.

After a childhood in East Germany and flexi-schooling her children, Anna has created experiences that bring escape in the outdoors in and around Edinburgh. Her offering includes wild swimming, picnicking, firelighting and forest bathing, amongst others - all to help us find mindfulness in outdoor spaces. She also runs weekend retreats, which look exhilarating, and works with organisations like Womens Aid and her own Karma Women, to help those who need her help most.

We spent an afternoon in the peaceful woods of Craigmillar Castle Park and we talked, drank tea and swung in a hammock. Listen in to hear how Anna's childhood experiences informed her career change and how much she enjoys swimming in the outdoors.

https://wander-women.co.uk/

You can find our location here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Svwnwfe5BBfJBEXh9