Edinburgh parks scoop 20 Green Flag awards

Princes Street Gardens was entered into the competition for the first time this year

Edinburgh's parks have scooped 20 Green Flag Awards in this year's national competition for environmental excellence.

In total 34 flags were awarded in Scotland, with Corstorphine Walled Garden receiving the country's only Green Flag community award.

Princes Street Gardens secured its first Green Flag along with six other parks in the capital.

The Green Flag Award scheme recognises the best green spaces in the UK.

The judges consider a variety of factors before awarding parks and green spaces a Green Flag including the sustainability, safety and cleanliness of the environment.

Robert Aldridge, Edinburgh City Council's environment leader, said: "These Green Flag Awards positively reflect on all the hard work carried out by our staff to make Edinburgh's parks and green spaces so attractive.

"The city is renowned for its beautiful green spaces and I am delighted to see that this has been recognised at a national level."

'High standards'

The Green Flag Awards were launched in 1996.

A further seven Green Flags have been awarded to the city this year, on top of the 13 retained from last year.

Phil Barton, Green Flag Plus Partnership chairman, said: "I would like to congratulate this year's winners, who have worked hard throughout the year to keep their parks and green spaces at a high standard and ensure they are pleasant and enjoyable spaces for the whole community.

"In these challenging financial times it is heartening that the number of Green Flag Awards continue to grow.

"As the value of green space and the role it plays in our communities strengthens, we must ensure these high standards remain."