Square turned into poetry garden

St Andrew Square is to be transformed into a poetry garden

A square in Edinburgh is to be transformed into a poetry garden for a special free festival event.

The Edinburgh Unesco City of Literature Trust is hosting the event in St Andrew Square Garden on Monday.

Richard Holloway, Scottish Arts Council chairman, will speak, followed by a reading by Edinburgh Makar Ron Butlin.

Visitors will be able to float poetry written on paper lotus across the square's pond to mark poetry becoming part of the garden permanently.

Reader-in-residence Ryan Van Winkle will be on hand as a 'personal poetry shopper' to recommend a perfect poem for visitors to read to match individual styles and tastes.

Mr Holloway said: "The wonderful thing about poetry is the way, in a few lines, it can sum up profound human experiences: sorrow, love, joy, rage.

"And the wonderful thing about having a poetry garden in a famous square in a beautiful city is the way it will help people to pause for a minute or two and let poetry into their lives."

Ron Butlin said: "Located in the centre of Edinburgh, this poetry garden will give our city a creative heart that will be unique and truly vital, not just culturally, but in our daily lives."