The glory of Glenapp (but watch out for snow)

ON a day the rest of Scotland was caught out by spring snow, I was enjoying the sunshine at Glenapp Castle near Ballantrae.

The south west corner of Scotland has a unique climate but this year, according to head gardener Annmaree Mitchell, the season is even further ahead.

“Some things are coming into flower up to two weeks early and the large-leaved rhododendrons around the Castle are over already.”

From the Italian terrace in front of the hotel, there are stunning views towards Ailsa Craig but thanks to a shelter belt of tall trees, sea breezes pass overhead and the walled garden gives even more protection from the elements.

Annmaree has plans to extend the herbaceous borders, create a new veg garden and transform the existing herb garden into a decorative potager.

This is a working garden, growing fruit and vegetables for the kitchens and it also supplies the cut flowers that fill the hotel with scent.

In one part of the walled garden Annmaree has killed off the grass in preparation for turning the area into a new cut flower patch and just outside the walls two polytunnels have just gone up, doubling the amount of space for growing under cover.

It’s here that Annmaree and her team grow microgreens, those flavoursome leaves that are at their best when still very small. The chefs at Glenapp pick these daily, but they don’t come empty-handed, bartering with polystyrene fish boxes, which Annmaree uses to raise more seedlings.

When it was a private house, Glenapp Castle had 17 gardeners.

Now it has four but, thanks to tractors, power tools and electric buggies that allow them to travel swiftly around the 36 acres, this small team doesn’t stand still and the garden is constantly evolving.

One of my favourite spots is the new seating area at the azalea pond from where there are views back towards the castle.

When I was there the azaleas were on the point of opening, so by now it will be a scented glade, filled with bright flowers in orange, pink and yellow.

After walking me through the wooded glen, which at this time of the year is carpeted in bluebells and wood anemones and where we caught sight of a dipper, Annmaree insisted we stop for some refreshments from the tea shop that occupies what was once the gardener’s bothy.

It was so warm that we took tea on the lawn, from where there are wonderful views of the Victorian greenhouses that occupy almost one entire wall.

Glenapp Castle has all the elements of a fairytale garden.

Pass through its gates and you enter a different world, so I wasn’t too surprised when, just 10 minutes after leaving its sunny lawns behind, reality struck and I found myself driving through a blizzard.