World's Oldest Floral Clock

The world’s oldest floral clock celebrates 100 years of Flying Scotsman in 2023.

The Edinburgh City Council team of three gardeners took just four weeks to plant over 50,000 flowers and plants used to create the clock, which will be in bloom until October. There are 20 different plants included in this year's design such as antennaria, crassula, echeveria, sedum, saxifrage and annuals such as pyrethrum, begonias and geraniums.

The Floral Clock was first created in 1903 by then Edinburgh Parks Superintendent John McHattie. It is the oldest of its kind in the world. It initially operated with just an hour hand, with a minute hand added in 1904, followed by a cuckoo clock in 1952. Until 1972 the clock was operated mechanically and had to be wound daily.

Princes Street Gardens lies at centre of Edinburgh's World Heritage Site, within New Town and Old Town Outstanding Conservation Areas. It is listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscape in Scotland and has geological and botanical scientific interest. The Gardens are set in the valley between the old and new towns with Edinburgh Castle on its rock towering above the western end. The park has been awarded a Green Flag since 2011 and its central location makes it a popular choice with residents and visitors.