Our main volunteering session are on Monday and Friday:
- All year
- 11:00—15:00
We also welcome volunteers during our Saturday and Sunday visiting hours:
- April— end of October
- 14:00—16:00
- (November—end of March)
- 13:00—15:00)
What we get up to
No gardening experience is necessary! The Walled Garden is a place to learn and grow together. You can come as an experienced gardener or someone simply looking to dig in. If the plants don’t interest you then there’s plenty of DIY-type tasks around the garden that might. There are also possibilities of other kinds of involvement such as joining the rota for opening on weekends.
If you’re not yet tempted enough, know that each Monday a hot lunch (read: soup) will be provided! We usually take a break to eat lunch together but make a special point of it on Mondays at around 1pm.
First visit
You are welcome to come along for an introductory visit to see what is happening in the Walled Garden. We hold introductory visits roughly every 2 weeks on a Monday at 11.30 am (sharp!).
Our head gardener or one of our trustees will give you a tour of the site and go over health & safety and tool maintenance.
Please email us at grantongarden@gmail.com for more details and to arrange an introductory visit. We can accommodate weekend inductions sometimes, just let us know if Mondays is not possible for you.
We are at 40 Speirs Bruce Way, Edinburgh EH5 1TH. You’ll find our entrance hiding just off the cycle path (Speirs Bruce Way) opposite The Pitt on West Shore Road. Please knock loudly if you find the gate shut.
What you’ll need
Any tools you might need will be provided. Please do bring:
- Clothes you don’t mind getting dirty
- Sturdy footwear
- Gardening gloves (if possible, we do have some spare)
- Water and snacks
Accessibility
Granton Castle Walled Garden is an outdoor site with uneven, grassy surfaces, which can be wet or muddy, especially in winter. Wheelchair users and people with other mobility aids visit the garden throughout the year; however, some areas may be difficult to navigate without assistance or if ground conditions are poor. Sheltered areas and plenty of chairs are available. The garden has one composting toilet, but it is not fully accessible. We have no indoor heated spaces, electricity, or mains water supply.