Just outside the gates of Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh Scotland, is the Physic Garden in Abbey Strand. Abbey Strand is the main entrance road to the palace and has been in place for over five centuries. The building was also a refuge for debtors who could seek sanctuary there in the days when being in debt would land you in prison.

The Physic Garden originated in the 1600's and was originally designed to cultivate medicinal plants for the Scottish Royals. The garden is also the location of the bath house associated with mary queen of scots and dates back to at least the 1500's