gardening – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

David Austin ® Roses honours Sir David Beckham with a new English Rose – now available in Dobbies

Edinburgh gardeners and David Beckham fans can now get their hands on the newly launched Sir David Beckham rose (Ausa34b16) at Dobbies Edinburgh, following its unveiling at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The new white English Shrub Rose, created by renowned breeder David Austin Roses in honour of one of Britain’s most celebrated figures, has arrived in limited numbers at the Edinburgh and is expected to prove popular with local shoppers looking to embrace the cottage garden trend this summer.

Originally gifted to Beckham from his daughter for his 50^th birthday, the David Austin ® rose is a lasting symbol of love and admiration that will continue to bloom year after year.

Dobbies is also sharing expert advice on achieving a classic Cotswolds-inspired planting style, combining soft florals, layered textures and natural materials.

Nigel Lawton, Plant Buyer at Dobbies, commented, “The Sir David Beckham rose is a brilliant addition for gardeners looking to create a timeless English country garden feel at home.

“Roses continue to be hugely popular as more people embrace relaxed, naturalistic planting styles inspired by countryside gardens and outdoor living trends.

“This variety works beautifully alongside classic cottage garden favourites like lavender, salvia and foxgloves to create that soft, romantic look people associate with Cotswolds-style gardens.”

Dobbies’ top tips for creating the Cotswolds garden look at home:

1. Layer soft cottage garden planting
Combine roses with lavender, delphiniums, foxgloves and salvia to create fullness, softness and seasonal colour. Mixing heights and textures helps achieve a relaxed, natural look.

2. Add natural materials and rustic textures
Terracotta pots, weathered stone, gravel pathways and wooden planters all help create the understated countryside feel seen in traditional Cotswolds gardens.

3. Keep planting generous and informal
Avoid rigid lines and structured displays. Instead, allow flowers and greenery to spill naturally through borders for a more romantic, lived-in garden style.

With limited quantities available in each participating store , customers are encouraged to shop early as demand is expected to be high.

£2.50 from the sale of every rose will be donated to The King’s Foundation, for which David Beckham serves as an ambassador.

For more information, visit Dobbies Garden Centres.

Be Part of History: National Garden Scheme calls for more gardens to open in 2027

“If your garden is packed with quality, character and interest, and is admired by friends and family we would love to hear from you,” says Dr Richard Claxton, Chief Executive of the National Garden Scheme.

The charity is inviting garden owners across the country to open their gates in 2027 to celebrate its landmark centenary year.

Founded in 1927 to support district nurses, the Scheme has spent a century transforming private passion into public good.

Dr Richard Claxton adds: “Whether you have an historic estate with rolling acres, a country cottage, an enthusiastic village of gardeners, a tiny urban sanctuary, or community allotments, we’re asking garden owners across the country to help raise vital funds for some of the UK’s leading health and nursing charities and to make 2027 a record-breaking year.”

Why Open in 2027?

Join a Legacy: You will be part of a uniquely British tradition that began with King George V opening the gardens at Sandringham in the inaugural 1927 season.

Support Essential Health Charities: Admission proceeds are donated to beneficiaries such as Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Parkinson’s UK, Carers Trust and The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing

Celebrate Together: Centenary openings will be supported by national, regional and local media campaigns and owners will be invited to celebrate the centenary with a number of events and special offers on plants and garden merchandise.

Who Can Apply?

Whether your space is a wildlife haven, a productive veg plot, or a country idyll, the primary criteria are quality, character, and interest.

Important Deadlines:

To be featured in the 2027 Centenary Garden Visitor’s Handbook and to receive full promotional support:

Prospective garden owners should contact their local County Organiser as soon as possible to arrange a time to visit during the current growing season – you can do this by completing the online form and uploading a photo of your garden here:

Open your garden – National Garden Scheme

Registration Deadline: All gardens must complete their official registration by mid-September to be included in the centenary publications.

“Our centenary is a celebration of the generosity of garden owners over the last 100 years,” adds Chief Executive Dr Richard Claxton.

“By opening your garden in 2027, you aren’t just sharing a beautiful space – you are providing a lifeline for nursing and health charities that need our support more than ever.”

For more information on how to open your garden visit the dedicated page on the website here: Open your garden – National Garden Scheme

Grow a Row Workshop at Drumbrae Library Hub

MONDAY 1st JUNE from 6 – 7pm

We are delighted to share that Drumbrae Hub now has its very own Seed Library, in collaboration with Lauriston Farm. As part of this new project, we are offering free workshops for people to learn more about food growing and seed saving.

Our first workshop, Grow a Row, encourages the local community to dedicate a row, a pot, or a garden bed to growing seeds for our Seed Library. Hannah from Lauriston Farm will be visiting us to talk about the importance of seed saving and how to grow specifically for seed saving. The main focus of this workshop will be on pea and bean seeds, alongside a selection of flowers and herbs.

There will be seeds available to take home so you can get growing yourself. We will then meet again in late summer to learn how to gather and prepare these plants for seed saving, and hopefully restock the Seed Library with what the community has grown.

This session is suitable for adults, and you do not need a large garden to take part. Whether you have a small garden bed, a few pots, or even a balcony, there are plenty of ways to grow for seed saving in small spaces

Monday 1st June at 6pm

Free

Adult event, age 16+

#GoAllIn

#lauristonagroecologyfarm

#NationalYearOfReading

PEP: Garden volunteers wanted

Get in touch if you can help!

Granton Library: Growing things in Granton session with Lisa

WEDNESDAY 22nd APRIL from 4 – 4.45pm

Come and meet our new seeds!

They’re all neatly packed in envelopes and waiting to go to new homes. Or perhaps you have some of your own that need somewhere new to grow?

You can swap or use packets from our brand-new seed library. Lisa will advise you in this handy drop-in session if you have questions.

In partnership with Granton Community Gardeners .

Dobbies invites local schools, charities and community groups to get involved in gardening initiative

Applications now open for Dobbies Community Gardens

Dobbies’ Edinburgh store is inviting local schools, charities and community groups to apply for this year’s Dobbies Community Gardens, giving successful groups the opportunity to receive support to help bring green spaces to life across the country.

In 2025, each of Dobbies 53 stores selected a winner from over 600 entries to receive support, supplies and advice through the community initiative. Dobbies’ Edinburgh is committed to giving back to the community on both a national and local level and is passionate about encouraging the nation to discover and share a love for gardens.

Dobbies Community Gardens will support its local communities by providing essential tools, plants and expert knowledge from colleagues to groups, to bring their green spaces to life. Dobbies’ Edinburgh store colleagues will also provide dedicated time to each project through volunteer hours.

The community gardens initiative nurtures wellbeing, connections and inclusion to help inspire local residents to spend more time in nature.

Dobbies’ Edinburgh store is looking to hear from local groups hoping to start, restore or upgrade their indoor or outdoor green spaces, and learn more about what they would do with the support.

Dobbies’ Plant Buyer, Nigel Lawton, is encouraging groups across the country to apply. He said: “Every year we look forward to hearing from the variety of inspiring groups about what they are looking to their garden spaces, with our support.

“We encourage local communities and groups within 20 miles of their local Dobbies store to apply to help create their perfect shared garden spaces that will bring joy to the community all year long.

“Whether they are a charity looking to upgrade their green space, a local group looking to bring the community together with a new project, or a school with plans to restore a vegetable patch, we want to hear from anyone who has a garden project that we could support.”

Craig Allardyce, Secretary of Your North Muirton, helped transform an area of land into a community garden with more than 30 raised beds with help from Dobbies.

Craig said: “Our new space supports a wide range of local involvement from individuals renting a low-cost raised bed to grow their own food, to schools and community groups using the area for hands-on learning and shared planting.

“Dobbies Community Gardens is a fantastic initiative to help bring local communities together and we would encourage groups looking for help with a garden project to apply.”

Applications are now open and close at 5pm on 31 March 2026.

Those entering must be within 20 miles of Dobbies’ Edinburgh store. Successful projects will be invited along to their local store for a consultation before getting recommendations from Dobbies’ colleagues about what products and tools will help bring the space to life.

To find out more information about Dobbies Community Gardens and to fill out an application form, visit Dobbies Community Gardens | Dobbies Garden Centres

Dobbies Edinburgh launches Spring Garden Savings Weekend

Dobbies Edinburgh store is welcoming the new season with its Spring Garden Savings Weekend, running from Thursday 5 to Monday 9 March, inviting local gardeners to kick-start spring with fresh inspiration and great savings across plants, gardening tools and more.

As the first signs of spring begin to appear across Edinburgh, the Green Team at Dobbies is marking the change in season with five days of offers designed to help gardeners refresh their outdoor spaces.

Customers visiting the store will be able to explore more than 415 own-brand gardening products, alongside new-season plants and new outdoor living ranges as spring gets underway. From colourful primroses and pansies for instant colour, to houseplants that will liven up your interiors, there’s plenty to help you embrace spring vibrancy both indoors and out.

Special offers during the Spring Garden Savings Weekend include:

Buy an orchid and pick up a 13cm pot (cream, pink or green) for just £4
Spend £15 on bulbs and get a dahlia beds and borders jumbo pack half price (usually £10)
20% off all magnolias and hebes
Erysimum 2L – 2 for £15
Cottage garden plants (1L) – 3 for £12
Carry pack primrose (6x9cm) – 3 for £15
1L primrose – 4 for £10
Primrose hanging pot – 2 for £15
Half price 3L pansy and viola – now £3.99
Yardforce 1500W scarifier – save £30, now £89.99
Yardforce 1500W power washer – save £20, now £39.99
Miracle-Gro all purpose peat free compost 40L – 2 for £10

Nigel Lawton, Dobbies Plant Buyer, said: “Spring is one of the most exciting times of the year for gardeners, and our Spring Garden Savings Weekend is all about helping our local communities to make the most of the season ahead.

“We’ve got fantastic offers across plants, bulbs, gardening tools and essentials, plus plenty of new arrivals in-store to inspire customers.”

In addition to garden savings, Dobbies Edinburgh store will also be unveiling its new spring summer menu in the restaurant, offering customers the chance to enjoy seasonal dishes and sweet treats as part of their trip.

The Spring Garden Savings Weekend runs from Thursday 5 to Monday 9 March at Dobbies Edinburgh store. For more information, visit www.dobbies.com.

Earth in Common: Call for Volunteers

How is it already February? Spring is just around the corner and there’s still lots to do to get our new sites ready for growing!

Come along and lend a hand and spend some time outside with us!

Dobbies’ Edinburgh hosts free-to-attend workshop for kids in the New Year

Budding gardeners will learn how to recycle their Christmas trees

Dobbies Garden Centres is hosting a free-to-attend children’s workshop on Sunday 4 January at its Edinburgh store, where children can discover fun and creative ways to recycle their Christmas trees as the festive season comes to a close.

In January’s Little Seedlings Club workshop, children will learn about where real Christmas trees come from, why Christmas trees are good for nature, what happens to them after Christmas, the importance of recycling and how to stay safe while doing so.

Children will then get to take part in a true or false game to test their knowledge on what they have learnt during the session. This is then followed by a build a mini wildlife habitat activity which involves children using recycled Christmas tree branches to make a habitat for their own gardens, that animals from hedgehogs, insects to frogs can call home in the cold winter months.

Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club is designed to be fun and engaging space for kids to learn about gardens and nature, with interactive activities and games, and the chance to ask lots of questions. The session takes place monthly at Dobbies’ Edinburgh and covers a range of topics and activities to fit with the seasons.

Dobbies’ Events Programme Manager, Ayesha Nickson, said: “Our Little Seedlings Club in January is ideal for young gardeners looking for an exciting project now that Christmas is over.

“The workshop at our Edinburgh store also covers some simple ways to help the planet. We are all looking forward to welcoming the Little Seedlings for the first session of 2026 and to see their wildlife habitat creations created from recycled Christmas trees.”

Those interested in learning more about the free children’s workshops at Dobbies’ Edinburgh are encouraged to visit www.dobbies.com/events to book a free space.