ESW

I have recently added a couple more gardens to Eleanor's pages.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/garden...and/index.html

I can't find the original thread for this, so have started a new one. Drummond Castle Gardens are still my favourite gardens in Scotland. The view looking down on them from the top of the terrace never eases to take my breath away. Pictures just don’t do it justice. It really has to be seen to be believed.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/garden...tle/index.html

Nearly as good are Pitmedden Gardens, a C17th status symbol, with over five miles of neatly trimmed box hedges and summer bedding.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/garden...den/index.html

The gardens of Edzell castle are thought to be one of the finest Renaissance Gardens to survive in Scotland, and there is a ruined castle to explore too.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/garden...tle/index.html

Dirleton Castle Gardens are famous for their flower border which is in the Guinness book of Records as being the longest herbaceous border in the world. In mid summer this is a blaze of colour.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/garden...tle/index.html

Port Logan Gardens is an outstation of the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh. On the Mull of Galloway, the warming effects of the Gulf Stream allow semi-tropical plants to flourish with tree ferns and palms. This has been described as one of the most exotic gardens in Britain.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/garden...gan/index.html

Benmore Gardens is another outpost with an avenue of giant redwoods and many different species of conifers climbing up the steep mountain sides. This really is a garden for all seasons and made us realise just how important conifers can be in giving shape and different colours to a garden. It also has over 300 species of rhododendrons in flower from May to August.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/garden...ore/index.html

Saraho

I loved Drummond Gardens, too.

janisj

Love all of those -- the only one I haven't visited is Benmore.

Some others on my fave list include Inverewe, Crathes, Crarae, Falkland Palace, Cawdor. People are surprised at all the wonderful gardens in Scotland.


Probably have visited Drummond at least a dozen times. Whenever taking a first timer there - their first reaction when stepping to the edge of the parterre and seeing the gardens for the first time is priceless.

LOVE Edzell. I once spent more than hour there w/ the old gardener before he retired - I was the only visitor for the first 45 minutes - and he walked me around to every corner and explained every little detail.

I personally think every gardener should try to visit Inverewe, Crarae (when the Rhoddy's are in bloom) and Crathes.

ESW

It must be nearly thirty years since I visited Inverewe Gardens. They were lovely. I preferred the gardens at Cawdor to the castle which I felt was very over rated.

janisj

>>I preferred the gardens at Cawdor to the castle . . . <<

Yes, the gardens at Cawdor are nearly as good as Crathes - but Crathes <i>castle</i> is nicer so its a better 'two-fer'.

ESW

We didn't have time to visit Crathes Castle but did get to Fyvie Castle which isn't too far away. I was also very disappointed by Castle Fraser too. Ballindalloch Castle however, was delightful.

Have a look here for my pages of Scottish Stately homes.
http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/statel...and/index.html

janisj

If you are into gardens you really should try to visit Crathes some day. The June Border and the gardens in general are as good or better than anything in Kent or the Cotswolds.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Crat...HU3LC6gQsAQIGw

Paqngo

Thank you, ESW, for sharing your favorite gardens. We want to go to Scotland and I love gardens. You mentioned mid summer as the best time to see one of the gardens. Does this apply to all of them?

Adelaidean

What a great blog, the collection of photos and descriptions are just fantastic. Thank you

sheila

Crathes is great; I don't know when you wee at Castle Fraser, Eleanor, but there is a massive improvement. Fyvie pretends nothing, which is good, because that's pretty much what it delivers.

Should you be thinking of a late winter visit, the target is snowdrops- Cambo House in Fife is wonderful. But there are tint gems like Bruckhills Croft as well.

ESW

Picking up on Paqngo's question - One of the joys of many gardens is there is something to see for most of the year. Herbaceous borders may be getting past their best by the end of the summer and autumn.

Cawdor Castle was mainly used by the family during the shooting season and flower beds were designed to be at their best from August to October. In September it was a mass of colour with tobacco, dahlias, nasturtium, ageratum, aster, campanula, tradescantia, montbretia, golden rod, flox, day lilies, Turk’s cap lilies, Sedum specabile...

Benmore gardens with all the conifers can be admired at any time, although in May - August you also have the rhododendrons in flower.

Port Logan Botanic Gardens were wonderful in September and October when the nerine lilies were at their best.

Drummond is just wonderful, but in autumn you also get teh wonderful autumn colours of the Acers...

Paqngo

ESW...the gardens sound beautiful and the pictures are great. I bookmarked them so we can plan a trip for 2017.