Re-Imagining Victoria Park Bowling Greens

The history

In 2023, Edinburgh Leisure returned several unused bowling green sites — including two in Victoria Park — to the Council. Since then, the Parks & Openspace team has been exploring ways to repurpose these areas for community use. Feedback from extensive public engagement highlighted key priorities: a community growing space, sensory garden, and a community café.

The Consultation & Engagement Hub (survey period closed 8 June 2024) received 271 responses, showing strong support for making the park more welcoming, accessible, and beneficial for both people and wildlife.

More detailed information about the consultation is available on the Consultation Hub.

Working closely with stakeholders — Friends of Victoria Park, Trinity Community Council, Trinity Academy, and local residents — we developed a series of improvement concepts. Atkins Realis landscape architects refined these ideas in the online report: Re-Imagining Victoria Park Bowling Greens Report – Thriving Greenspaces.

Since then, we have been exploring the next steps to take this work further. This includes a comprehensive review covering cost estimates for reopening facilities like the toilets and pavilion, as well as exploring options to activate these spaces in a way that benefits the community. We have been working with the community throughout this to ensure that we are aligning with their needs, and to agree priorities together.

In January 2025 we advertised expressions of interest for two key projects:

Community Growing Space: To be managed by a local partner.
Community Café: To repurpose the pavilion.

We received wonderful ideas and applications for running these spaces, and extend our thanks again to everyone who applied. The review panel, including liaisons from the community council and Friends of Victoria Park, has selected Earth in Common as the preferred partner.

About Earth in Common

Earth in Common is an environmental charity based in Leith. It addresses food system issues, climate change, and social inequality. Formerly known as Leith Community Crops in Pots, they promote urban crofting to reclaim urban green spaces for community food growing and education. Earth In Common runs regular volunteering sessions, and is currently in the process of setting up the new croft.

Find out more here: Trinity Community Croft | Earth in Common

A total of £50,000 from the food-growing budget has been allocated to create the community growing area. We are also applying for additional funding to bring the full vision to life.

Pavilion Repurposing

For the pavilion, the Council’s Estates Department will carry out an additional consultation to change its use to a community café. At that stage, the community will be asked for their views on the proposed use of the building. Meanwhile, setting up a new community growing space is quite a big task on its own, so this will be the priority for Earth in Common in the first instance, with the pavilion to be used to support the growing activities.

Drakkars Drift

In the summer of 2025, we were given a rare opportunity to bring an award-winning garden — Drakkar’s Drift — to a permanent home in Edinburgh’s Victoria Park. Designed by RHS Young Designer Luke Coleman, a resident of Leith, the garden was originally created for the RHS Wentworth Woodhouse Flower Show: Drakkars Drift designed by Luke Coleman at RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse, South Yorkshire 2025 / RHS.

Drakkar’s Drift is a stunning, immersive garden inspired by Scotland’s historic ties with Scandinavia, the healing power of nature, and sustainable design. The garden was on display at the Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show in Wentworth Woodhouse, where it was awarded the Gold Medal, Royal Horticultural Society Young Designer of the Year, People’s Choice, and Best Construction.

Thanks to generous sponsorships, trade discounts, and in-kind contributions secured for the RHS show, the garden currently includes:

4 mature trees
1,500 herbaceous perennials
13.5 tonnes of mossy field boulders, including a rare Saltire boulder
12 bespoke perforated mild steel hexagonal habitat columns (1.25–2.5m tall) – living sculptures that support biodiversity

While the show garden was ~100 m², Luke has adapted and expanded it to ~200 m² for public accessibility, integrating paths, seating, sensory planting, and wildlife-enhancing features to reflect community priorities.

Since the summer, we have been fundraising to purchase, transport, and install Drakkar’s Drift into the bowling green, to create a beautiful and accessible sensory garden for the whole community to enjoy.

Construction began on 23 February and is expected to be completed by the end of March. Planting days for neighbours, volunteers and staff will follow – with more details to be shared soon.

From the Designer

The Victoria Park garden builds on the original RHS gold-award-winning design, reimagined carefully for its new permanent setting. While the core spatial language and ecological intent remain, the design has evolved in response to the character and sensitivities of the new site, alongside feedback from the community and stakeholders. The aim is to create a resilient, nature-rich pocket park that supports biodiversity while offering moments of rest, exploration, and connection for visitors. Materials and planting have been adapted to sit naturally within the wider landscape, ensuring the garden feels rooted in place while retaining the spirit and identity of the original show garden.

We would like to thank Friends of Victoria Park, Trinity and Newhaven Community Council, and many other community members, who have given their time and helped to fundraise for this project.

How to get involved

Volunteer: We will be looking for volunteers to help with the planting of the garden in late March, and would love for you to join us! If you would like to get involved, please email thrivinggreenspaces@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Crowdfunding: While we will be installing the “essentials” of the garden this spring, there are still other items that we are fundraising for to bring the full community vision to life. Every donation makes a difference.

Support our campaign on Crowdfunder

Connect with Friends of Greenspace group: Follow the Friends of Victoria Park on social media for the latest updates and events and join in by emailing friends@victoriapark.org.uk.

Victoria Park is a Green Flag–awarded, highly valued community asset. Your support will help us transform this space into something truly special.