Inch Nursery opens on Wednesday

The city council’s Inch Nursery is getting ready to welcome customers back to its base in Inch Park after a long winter closure.

The Nursery will reopen on Wednesday (7 April) with Covid safety measures in place and will be open five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, 10am – 2pm. To ensure safe shopping, customers will be required to book a time slot by email ahead of their visit.

Culture and Communities Convener, Cllr Donald Wilson said: “Now that it’s spring and the weather (hopefully) warms, the re-opening of the Nursery is a great opportunity for Edinburgh’s green-fingered residents to stock up from our wide range of quality plants at sensible prices.

“If you have not visited the Inch Nursery you will be pleasantly surprised at the variety of horticultural delights on offer. 

“The pandemic has given us all renewed gratitude for the great outdoors – and for many it’s unearthed an appreciation of gardening, discovering all the benefits, both mental and physical it can bring.”

Culture and Communities Vice Convener, Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan, said: “We’re very much looking forward to welcoming visitors back to the Nursery next week.

“Gardening benefits the mental health and well-being of so many people isolating at home and I believe that whilst the ongoing lockdowns have put limitations on us, looking after and growing plants helps us to look forward with hope to better and brighter days to come.

“So, if you’re in the market for shrubs and herbaceous perennials, please get in touch with the team to book your spot!”

Janice Peter, Acting Inch Nursery Team Leader, said: “After a long cold winter we are looking forward to opening our doors and welcoming our customers back.

“The last year has allowed people to rediscover their gardens and develop a passion for plants and we are really pleased that we can once again supply quality locally grown plants to the people of Edinburgh.”

Existing customers will be contacted directly but for any queries or new customers who would like to book a shopping slot, please email the team.

Visitors can expect social distancing and hygiene measures to be in place, including two- metre queuing points at key areas, sanitising stations, cashless payments only, and additional cleaning measures.

Edinburgh Trust properties get ready to reopen

Conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland has confirmed that most of its built heritage as well as estates and gardens across Edinburgh and the Lothians will be open for visitors from the end of April, in line with the easing of lockdown rules.

Many outdoor locations have been accessible for exercise all through the winter, including the grounds at Newhailes and Inveresk Lodge Garden.

The charity has shared plans for opening built heritage at Georgian House in Edinburgh, Preston Mill in East Lothian and Newhailes House in Musselburgh from 30 April onwards, providing Scotland continues to progress out of lockdown as planned.

Chief Executive Philip Long OBE said: “Everyone at the Trust is looking forward to welcoming our visitors back to the beautiful places we protect. Across Edinburgh and the Lothians, our teams are hard at work preparing for reopening and giving everyone a warm, and of course, safe welcome.

“Our charity is very grateful to the Scottish Government, our members and donors whose support and generosity means we can re-open more properties than we’d thought would have been possible this year. So many people love these places and after such a difficult year, all of us at the Trust are pleased to be able to share this positive news, and so many of our special places once again.”   

The Trust is urging anyone planning to visit to check the latest opening information on www.nts.org.uk before travelling, as some properties have different opening patterns this summer.

The website also contains information for visitors on the safety measure that will be in place for visits – 

https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/what-to-expect-when-visiting-our-places ,

as well as sharing its top tips for visiting responsibly

– https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/top-10-tips-for-visiting-our-countryside-places.

Caring for countryside costs the charity millions each year. Supporters are being asked to donate to help the Trust help nature, now and in the future.

Find out more at: www.nts.org.uk/help-nature.