Friday June 13th 2025
The Dalkeith Guerilla Gardeners hard at work.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Katie Gregory
Nine years ago a small group of Dalkeith residents pulled on their gardening gloves and began transforming their local community – one weed, bulb, and flower bed at a time. This quiet force for good would only blossom as the years went on, and the group would later become known as the Guerrilla Gardeners.
There is no strict organisation as such, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t strategic in their approach. A patchwork of people tackle different areas on different days, each working around their family lives, jobs, and other commitments.
To really get a feel for the group beyond the pictures on Facebook, it was only right for me to attend a GG gathering.
The Sunday group met at the historic Corn Exchange, in the heart of Dalkeith. The plan of attack was to sweep away old leaves, clear rubbish at the side of the building, and tackle the unwanted weeds. The Guerrilla Gardeners were armed with litter pickers, bin bags, and their trusty tools.
Balancing friendly conversation with hard work, their multitasking was impressive – whereas I had to put down my litter picker just to keep up with taking notes.
As I spoke to the group, it immediately became apparent that each of the members had a different motivation for participating.
One such example was Kris, who has loved gardening his whole life. However, after downsizing to a smaller property, he no longer had the space to indulge in his passion – until now. Volunteering has given him a way to get his hands back in the soil and reconnect with something he truly enjoys, while bettering his local community at the same time.
Another member of the group, Aiden, is a beekeeper and roots his support in biodiversity, saying:
“I always believed in what they were trying to do. And the fact that they were constantly asking about the bees shows they have an environmental view as well. So that made me even more interested in their work.”
After hearing from Aiden, I briefly interrupted Rae’s tidying to have a quick chat. A local historian, Rae is passionate about Dalkeith’s past – and a pioneer for the town’s future:
“I come out because when I was brought here, everyone took absolute pride in Dalkeith.
“But over the past 30 years, there’s been little or no investment in the town at all. And gathered with that, no one seems to look after the public areas.
“Now, there are plenty of residents in this area. How can they walk past this every day? It’s just about people doing a little bit in their own area that would make such an impact and all the difference.”
Another Guerrilla Gardener making a difference is local Councillor Colin, who told me how he first got involved:
“When I was elected to council around 8 years ago I started spending most of my days in Dalkeith, gradually the mess and untidiness started to frustrate me so, at lunchtime I would grab a bag and pick litter and debris out of the bushes.”
Believing that many hands make light work, the group eagerly welcomes new volunteers and actively uses social media to share their progress and encourage others to join.
Susan said: “We say, look what we’ve done and isn’t this lovely? Do you fancy making it lovely as well?”
Susan’s invitation extends to all, as the group places particular importance on involving the next generation. Even if the young people of Dalkeith don’t have the greatest gardening abilities, a team of experienced volunteers are waiting and eager to show them the ropes.
The Guerrilla Gardeners’ desire to grow the group reflects their dedication to their town and deep connection to Dalkeith. They might not be changing the world, but they are certainly making their corner of it a whole lot brighter.
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