A Unique Opportunity to Transform an Unused Space into a Vibrant Garden 

We have 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 (read more about the design here: Drakkars Drift designed by Luke Coleman at RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse, South Yorkshire 2025 / RHS). Now, there’s a chance to relocate it to a disused bowling green in Edinburgh, transforming the space into a beautiful, accessible public garden for everyone to enjoy. But we need your help to make it happen. 

About the garden: 

Originally created for the RHS Wentworth Woodhouse Flower Show by RHS Young Designer Luke Coleman, 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.   

Now, we have the chance to relocate this garden to a disused bowling green in Edinburgh, transforming it into a beautiful, accessible public space for the whole community to enjoy. 

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

A new home in Victoria Park 

Over the past year, a community consultation process has been underway to reimagine the disused bowling greens in Victoria Park. Local groups and residents shared their hopes for the space—calling for sensory planting, natural water features, trees, wildlife-friendly design, and places to sit and connect. 

A vision design was developed based on this feedback. While funding was secured to begin work on a community croft on the central green, the sensory garden component remained out of reach—until now. 

Drakkar’s Drift offers a unique opportunity to deliver many of the features the community asked for. The garden includes: 

• Sensory planting 
• Mature trees and mossy boulders 
• A boardwalk and social seating 
• Sculptural habitat columns that support biodiversity 

Originally designed at 100m² for the RHS show, Luke is adapting and expanding the garden to around 200m² to suit the Victoria Park site. Some elements will be reimagined to better fit the space—for example, the plunge pool will become a swale, and the sauna area will be an open seating area. The aim is for the wider design also to incorporate paths, seating areas, and other elements that reflect the community’s vision. 

This is a chance to create something truly special, and respond to what the community told us they wanted. It’s a rare chance to deliver a high-quality, award-worthy garden that reflects local voices, values, and vision. 

Our Goal: £50,000 

To bring Drakkar’s Drift to Edinburgh and fully realise its potential as a community space, we need to raise £50,000 to make this vision a reality. This will cover: 

• Transporting and rebuilding the garden after the RHS show 
• Preparing the site at Victoria Park 
• Expanding the garden to 200m² for greater accessibility 
• Installing new paths, seating, and other features identified through community consultation 

Without this funding, the garden would have to be dismantled and sold off to private buyers—meaning the community loses out on a unique opportunity to create a lasting, inclusive green space in the north of the city. 

How You Can Help 

We’re calling on individuals, businesses, and organisations who care about community, culture, and green spaces to support this project. 

• Donate whatever you can—every contribution makes a difference 
• Share this campaign with friends, neighbours, and local networks 
• Sponsor a feature of the garden or contribute in-kind services 
• Volunteer to help with planting and community events 

Together, we can turn an unused space into a living, breathing celebration of nature, heritage, and community. 

TEXT Donation

You can support the Darker's Drift by text!! 

Text DRIFT to 70450 to donate £5.

Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you’ll be opting into hearing more from us. If you would like to donate but don’t wish to hear more from us, please text DRIFTNOINFO instead.

Alternatively, you can opt to give any whole amount up to £20, for example Text DRIFT10 to 70450 to donate £10. Thanks!

Gift Aid Declaration

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