Famed for its beautiful surroundings and strange hedges, Dalmeny, which is nestled along the watery estuary of the Firth of Forth, has a lot to offer.
Featuring grazing livestock and a number of structures from between the 17th and 19th centuries, the surrounding area is the “unexpected” site for a trio of topiary that have been manicured to resemble a number of iconic figures from around the world.
These strange hedges near Edinburgh have been cultivated for over 20 years
According to Atlas Obscura , resident gardener Michael Kaplan has spent the best part of 20 years cultivating a Yew tree to resemble a moai from Easter Island, an Olmec head from Central America, and a Corinthian warrior from Greece.
The heads are also electrically wired so that their eyes blink red for the briefest of moments.
Using an ordinary pair of hand-held shears, it takes Michael an entire week, three times a year, to trim the hedges into their iconic shapes.
There is more to this area, with the nearby Scottish estate of Dalmeny and its grounds having been praised by visitors on Tripadvisor .
One person said: “A great big old country house surrounded by huge gardens and grounds. Made me dream a bit about being lord of the manor.”
Another penned: “Beautiful gardens, beautiful house. Staff here are very willing to help you in any way they can.
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“We had four children with us and they all had a great day from four years old up to 11 and not one of them got bored.”
A third wrote: “I recently moved to Dalmeny Village and thought I would find the beach at Dalmeny House grounds. The grounds are open for walkers and cycling as far as I can see, all year round.”
They added: “I walked about a mile along the main drive towards the house and the beach. I wasn’t disappointed, and the views at the beach were spectacular.”