St Andrew Square Garden in Edinburgh was officially opened by the First Minister on Wednesday following its £2.6m redevelopment.

The city centre garden, which dates back to 1770, is now open to the public for the first time.

The First Minister Alex Salmond said: "St Andrew Square is one of the corner stones of James Craig's New Town masterpiece and is a great example of innovative Scottish architecture. It has been home to some of Scotland's great thinkers such as David Hume and Henry Brougham.

-- Advertisement --

"Despite the square's long and rich history, this is the first time the garden gates have been open to the public. I am delighted this garden has opened in time for our year of Homecoming in 2009, so that visitors from near and far can relax and enjoy this historical area.

"This £2.6m redevelopment of this project has been a fantastic success, resulting in a beautiful city centre space. Having previously worked at Dundas House, overlooking St Andrew Square, I am pleased the potential of this garden has been recognised and that it is now a popular retreat for families, tourists, shoppers and workers."

The First Minister concluded that special places like the city centre garden help to improve our quality of life and contribute to making Scotland a greener, cleaner, healthier place.

(GK/JM)