The story of a hospital through its trees

Further Event Information

Come and join us for a (virtual) tour of some of the rare specimen trees which can be found in the grounds of the Astley Ainslie hospital in Edinburgh.

A thousand years ago this area was part of a royal hunting forest used by King David I who granted Edinburgh its Royal Charter in 1143.

Several of the trees we see today were gifted and/or planted in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s by eminent botanists. Among them was Sir William Wright Smith (1875-1956), Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh and Professor of Botany at the University of Edinburgh and his nephew and ward, Ronald Edgar Cooper (1890-1967) who later became Head Curator of the Royal Botanical Garden. It was Cooper who laid out the hospital grounds for its official opening.

As Charles Smith, a local historian, wrote in his book ‘Looking back: an autobiographical journey through South Edinburgh and beyond’ (2000, p110) “The future of the beautifully situated Astley Ainslie hospital with its ancient historic associations is not clear. It is to be sincerely hoped that whatever development takes place, the many fine and varied trees are preserved to contribute to the sense of peace that pervades this historic location”.

Trees that will feature on the tour include an Atlas cedar, a Bhutan Pine, a Cedar of Lebanon, a Deodar, a Grand Fir, a Holm Oak, a Spanish Chestnut, a Turkey Oak, a Wellingtonia and a Weymouth Pine. Join us to learn about them and hear what we are doing to try and protect them.

Delivered by Maggie Carson.

Organisation

Astley Ainslie Community Trust aims to build on the intention of David Ainslie’s original bequest, which recognised that healthy communities need intimate connections with land and nature. Whilst the hospital services are expected to move in the next year or two, health and wellbeing will remain central to the uses we propose, which include the following: greenspace for productive and therapeutic uses, education, recreation, and access; an active and open community hub; and affordable housing.