Mortonhall Memorial Garden

Overview

Mortonhall Memorial Garden opened in December 2015 and offers a secluded space for parents and families affected by the Mortonhall Investigation, commissioned by the City of Edinburgh Council and led by Dame Elsie Angiolini DBE QC.

The memorial has been developed following feedback from affected parents who listed elements they would like to see in a tranquil and private place where they could remember their loved ones.

Design process

The preliminary design of the design evolved over a number of months during the design process thanks to the input of a dedicated team of Edinburgh Council staff, engineers, project managers in consultation with affected parents and families. The final result is a garden parents have said really does offer them some comfort. The design focuses around a slate ball water feature offering sculptural interest and some quiet movement and soft sounds of trickling water. The stream from the original design has been replaced with a dry stone riverbed and is surrounded by plantings offering year-round interest. Plants have been placed together to create attractive combinations of textures, shapes and colours with flowers adding seasonal highlights for visitors through the year.

The stone ball water feature is by Rory Gould (gallowaystonecraft.co.uk)

The dragonflies are by Kev Paxton (kpaxtonblacksmiths.co.uk)

Ross Cairns and a team from Crummock (Scotland) Ltd were the construction talent.