Glowing gardens
Enjoy the rich colours and golden light of autumn in the gardens of Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders, which are home to some of the oldest, tallest and most exotic trees and plants in the country, says Crystal Chesters
From wild to wooded, landscaped and botanical, there’s a green space for every garden lover in Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders. In the South West of the country, Threave Garden near Castle Douglas is divided into smaller gardens showcasing different styles, including a rose garden, a rockery and a walled garden. A great place to spot wildlife, it has a nature reserve for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl, its own osprey viewing platform and Scotland’s first bat reserve. ( www.nts.org.uk)
Moving slightly north to the home of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, the beautiful and grand Drumlanrig Castle is a must-visit. You can wile away an autumn day wandering around the 40-acre garden, admiring the rhododendron collection and marvelling at the restored Victorian glasshouses. ( www.drumlanrigcastle.co.uk)
In the artist’s town of Kirkcudbright, step into the Edwardian home of Scottish artist EA Hornel at Broughton House and Garden. The garden has a beautiful blend of Western and Eastern horticulture, offering a gentle labyrinth of stepping stones, wisteria-covered paths and Edwardian charm. ( www.nts.org.uk)
You will be wowed by the tropical plants and trees that thrive in the mild climate of Logan Botanic Garden near Port Logan, which is warmed by the Gulf Stream. Managed by the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, Logan is known as Scotland’s most exotic garden and
hosts a huge collection of plants from the southern hemisphere such as the Chilean fire thorn tree, giant rhubarb tree, banana trees and pre-historic tree ferns, which can be seen growing outside. Arriving at Logan, you’ll be amazed by the magnificent driveway flanked on either side by an avenue of nearly 400 exotic cabbage palms.
‘Exotic palms, sub-tropical tree ferns and an array of stunning flowers will meet your eye as you enter the walled garden,’ says the garden’s curator Richard Baines. ‘The sweet perfume of early flowering rhododendrons contrasts with the exotic oils from eucalyptus. One of the highlights during the autumn are the nerines from South Africa, which form stunning pink carpets throughout the walled garden.’
Guided walks show off the autumnal plants, such as lily of the Nile (agapanthus), eucryphia, fascicularia and daisies. Logan is also hosting the Twig Loom Keepsake course on Thursday 18 October, during which you can learn to weave together twigs and string to create a keepsake loom. On Thursday 25 October, a flax weaving workshop will give you the chance to have fun creating simple flax woven animals or flowers to
Nerines form stunning pink carpets throughout the walled garden
take away and keep. ( www.rbge.org.uk)
Less than 15 miles east is the Castle Kennedy Gardens on the outskirts of Stranraer, with a beautiful collection of rhododendrons, championship trees and rare species. The 75-acre sculptured landscapes are situated on an isthmus around the ruins of Castle Kennedy, and surrounded by the White Loch and Black Loch. This autumn Castle Kennedy will host an open-air cinema, with screenings of The Greatest Showman on 7 September and Casablanca on 8 September. You can also enjoy a Halloween Pumpkin Trail on 13 – 26 October from 10am to 5pm. ( www. castlekennedygardens.com)
Moving further east to the Scottish Borders, you’ll find some of Britain’s oldest and tallest trees at the 65-acre Dawyck Botanic Garden in Stobo. The former woodland garden for Dawyck House, it came under the care of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in 1979. With everything from colourful crab apples to maple keys, acorns in cups and conkers from the garden’s horse chestnut trees, there will be plenty to see and do for adults and children alike.
‘We get a plethora of colours throughout the landscape – yellows, oranges, reds and crimsons,’ says curator Graham Stewart. ‘The Japanese maples are fantastic at this time of year. They go russet like glowing embers. The rowans and birches are fantastic and a must-see is our Japanese katsura tree which smells like candyfloss, giving it the nickname “the candyfloss tree”. Even the oaks and beeches are lovely in autumn.’
Free guided walks are available on Sunday afternoons throughout the year and this autumn you can discover a host of plants and shrubs to try out in your own garden at the autumn plant sale, taking place on 7 October. A free exhibition by artist Poppy Brown is also on until 30 November. ( www.rbge.org.uk)
Dawyck is within easy reach of Scotland’s oldest inhabited house, Traquair. Dating back to 1107, the fortified house has been lived in by the Stuart family since 1491 and has been visited by 27 Scottish kings and queens. Some of the oldest yew trees in Scotland, as well as striking examples of Scots pine, Douglas fir and horse chestnut can be seen in the ancient woodlands and grounds surrounding the house. Dawyck is home to the original Dawyck beech, an upright columnar species which originated around 1830 and can only be grown through propagation. You can enjoy the maze in the walled garden as well as the garden’s woodland trails, including Lady Louisa’s walk which takes you past the Quair Water and on to the River Tweed. One of the most peculiar aspects of visiting Traquair is that you can’t enter the house via the main entrance. The Bear Gates of Traquair House (nicknamed the Steekit Yetts)
“A must-see is our Japanese katsura tree which smells like candyfloss
were locked in 1745 behind Bonnie Prince Charlie and can’t be opened until the Stuart Dynasty returns to the throne. Even the Laird of Traquair enters through the side gate! This year Traquair’s head gardener Alec Drennan is expecting to reap the rewards from the beautiful summer we’ve enjoyed. ‘It will be a bumper crop this year, the weather has been favourable for the apple blossom so we’ll have lots of apples,’ he said.
The grounds are also home to some animals, such as guinea pigs, pygmy goats and ducks, which provide entertainment for little ones. Ghost tours will be held around Halloween in the house, which is allegedly haunted by a lady who walks the halls. Visitors can also enjoy craft workshops, the Garden Café and the Traquair House Brewery situated in one of the wings of the house. ( www.traquair.co.uk)
Another nearby garden is Kailzie, which is just 2.5 miles from Peebles town centre. Providing a rich array of colour in the autumn, Kailzie is home to Scotland’s oldest larch tree, planted in 1725. Near the fountain is a walled garden with beautiful roses, which is described by owner Lady Angela Buchan-Hepburn as ‘overwhelmingly peaceful’. The garden also has an incredible laburnum tunnel, making it a popular wedding venue.
Many different plants are grown in the greenhouses, such as geraniums, begonias, schizanthus, pelagoniums and fuschias. There are also several walks around the garden including the Major’s Walk, named after family friend Major Shennan. It is planted with primulas, meconopsis and rhododendrons while smaller trees such as laburnums and rowans line a path that leads to the duck pond. From this point you can see spectacular views over the park to the River Tweed and the Leithen hills beyond. ( www.kailziegardens.com)
For keen twitchers, the River Tweed and the burn that flows through the garden provide an excellent habitat for birds such as the kingfisher, heron, oyster catcher, duck, wagtail and dipper. As well as a variety of plants and wildlife, the garden offers fishing, putting and a play area for children. You can even stay at the on-site bunkhouse.
So, if you want to unwind this autumn, head to the south of the country where you can return to nature and have your spirit soothed in one of the beautiful gardens of Dumfries & Galloway or the Scottish Borders.