The public will soon enjoy all the fruits of our labour
any visitors. When the team break for coffee, they have their pick of the best views from the garden’s benches.
If it’s raining, there’s plenty of room in their shed.
All the usual constraints on their time have gone. No rushing to get the noisy jobs like strimming done by 10am, when the gates open. No one to hold them up by asking detailed questions about pruning.
“Normally, the week’s jobs revolve around the visitors,” Ed said. “Now we can just get on with it.”
One of his innovations has been starting a kitchen garden. Last year, all the produce went straight to the castle’s cafe, to be used in cakes and soups. This year he has already planted brassicas and is steeled to eat most of it himself.
He said: “When I started two years ago, there was no veg. Now I’ve created four beds and a pumpkin mound. This year, I will be eating lots of cabbage, brussel sprouts and broccoli.
“We will share it out between the staff on site. If it gets to the point of surplus, I’m not too sure what to do. I’m sure I will find some way of making soup.
“I don’t like shop-bought vegetables, I find them quite tasteless. But if I’ve grown it myself, I absolutely love it.”
He is looking forward to welcoming visitors back to Brodie. “We are doing our essential maintenance, planting all of our fully grown plants, keeping them watered so that, when we open, people can come and enjoy the estate.”
But for the time being, he’s making the most of lockdown. He added: “It is like having my own personal garden.”
For the first two weeks of lockdown, Iain was the only person looking after all
650 acres of Ayrshire countryside. Staffing has gradually increased and there are now five of the usual 10 gardeners on duty.
They are sharing the grounds with hares, deer, peacocks and the handful of tenants who live on the estate.
It has been a battle to keep on top of it all.
Iain, 30, said: “We are trying to prioritise – do we need to cut grass every week?”
With the cafe closed, he is taking a year off from growing salad leaves. But the fruit cages are still busy, with peaches, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries that will soon be ripe.
Most of these will be made
Head gardener, Culzean Castle into jam for future visitors to enjoy on their scones.
The staff will, however, get a taste.
“It’s a perk of the job – take a wee box of this or a wee bag of that home.”
While no one can see the results of Ian’s hard work now, once lockdown ends, he predicts a rush to visit outdoor attractions such as Culzean. “It’s so important they’re looked after – people will want to come to country parks and gardens and be outside. I hope lockdown encourages people to appreciate gardens and nature. You don’t need to go to the cinema or shopping centre to have down time.”