Drummond Place Garden
Status: CLOSED for public
Contact
Email, phone: unknown
Owners: unknown
Website: https://drummondplacegarden.info/
Contact form: https://drummondplacegarden.info/contact/
Nestled in the heart of Edinburgh's New Town, Drummond Place Garden is a lush, private oasis surrounded by elegant Georgian terraces. Its serene beauty and historical charm, dating back to the Charters of 1823 and 1846, make it a prized sanctuary for its members.
The garden is an inescapable burden on the properties specified in the Charter.
A Historical Perspective
For nearly two centuries, Drummond Place Garden has remained a privately-owned green space. Communally maintained by the 120 proprietors of Drummond Place properties, each member pays an annual fee to ensure the garden's upkeep, preserving its idyllic environment.
The Exclusivity Factor
However, this exclusivity comes at a cost to the broader community. The garden is strictly off-limits to the public, with access restricted to property owners and a few select keyholders from adjacent properties who also pay an annual fee. This practice ensures a peaceful, crowd-free environment but simultaneously denies the wider Edinburgh population access to a park-sized green space.
Securing Access
To become a keyholder, individuals must reside within the designated catchment area, primarily surrounding properties. Applications are processed by the Garden Management Committee, emphasising the exclusivity and restricted access to this private garden.
Access to the Garden is of necessity limited to Proprietors and a small number of Additional Keyholders.
The Proprietors can give access to a limited number of Additional Keyholders. This limit is there to ensure that the Proprietors can enjoy their own garden when they wish to. The proprietors decided long ago that the number of additional keys issued should not exceed one third of their own number.
The current catchment area is therefore limited to the pavilion buildings immediately adjacent to Drummond Place. These are either on the corners or the first building up the adjacent streets which generally have windows which look out into the Garden. (A distant sideways view of the Garden does not count.) . The occupiers of these additional dwellings may be given access as Additional Keyholders. This is a privilege and not a right.
Public Exclusion and Its Implications
While Drummond Place Garden offers an unrivalled retreat for its members, it also represents a missed opportunity for the general public. In a city where green spaces are cherished, the inaccessibility of such a substantial garden space raises questions about urban inclusivity and equitable access to natural resources. The garden's exclusivity means that the public misses out on enjoying its mature trees, well-kept lawns, and serene environment, which could otherwise provide a much-needed green refuge in the urban landscape.
