Thursday June 25th 2026
Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat (City Centre ward) stands amid a field of weeds
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
Action will be taken as weeds ‘taller than people’ in a city centre park left a resident with nettle stings amid the ongoing heat wave.
Photos seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service show a stretch of weeds standing taller than a city centre councillor in Royal Terrace Gardens, north of Calton Hill.
Conservative councillor and group leader Iain Whyte asked the council’s leader about the situation in the park at Thursday’s full council meeting.
He said the councillor, fellow group member Joanna Mowat, had been faced with weeds taller than her on visiting the park, and that she ‘came away covered in nettle stings.’
Council leader and Labour councillor Jane Meagher said she would not ‘make any comment about the ratio of Councillor Mowat’s height to the weeds.’
She added: “Summer can bring certain issues, particularly issues in streets where we’ve agreed not to use glyphosates.”
The substance is commonly used as an effective weedkiller, but is suspected of causing health issues, leading to its use being limited in the council.
The council leader added: “I’m confident that we, our officers, will take notes of your concerns in relation to that particular park.”
Cllr Mowat told the LDRS: “The gardens used to be mown, and have now been let to go wild.
“It could be used to sit out in as a bosky glade, which would be nice in this weather. But you couldn’t sit out in it now.”
She added that the cow parsley which stood taller than her, seen in photos she provided, started at foot level.
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