This double wall-mounted monument has had some of the weight of a thick tangle of ivy taken off the top. Here are before and after shots. As well as relieving pressure on the stonework and wall, this helps more light to bathe the section. A section which, until recently, had very little light coming through thanks to so much ivy running wild for many years. The difference is incredible already, with more work to be done this Winter.

In preparation for next month’s Service of Remembrance, some of the volunteers tidied around the War Memorial area. The service takes place at the War Memorial on Sunday, November the 13th, at 09:45. All welcome. More information will be posted closer to the day.

We thought we’d found all the stones in The Secret Garden under ivy and earth etc. There are still some substantial headstones to be tidied up but as they are near a wasp nest we’ve decided to wait until they are no longer a danger to us. The following photos (befores and afters) show a trio of small stones very recently liberated from under years of accumulated organic debris.

At the western end of The Secret Garden was a straggly privet hedge. It was so unsightly! We cut it down. Now we have a fine view of some corrugated iron from the former gardener’s area. We’re going to plant some hawthorn instead, which should be easier to maintain and is better for birds anyway.

Remedial work has begun in the cemetery by workers contracted by Edinburgh Council. We had been undertaking extra work clearing the walls in the Secret Garden in order for the contractors to see what needed done most. We (the Friends of Warriston Cemetery group) have made it much more easy for them to do things such as repointing the wall above the east entrance to the Secret Garden plus replace coping stones atop a short section of the east wall as shown below. We have cleared walls as well as the ground so the masons could work safely and efficiently. This is just the start of the larger project.