Con tours inspired by Highlands

Mill of Forneth, a former farm on the edge of Highland Perthshire, features rocky waterfalls, a lily pond and stunning seasonal colour

Heather Wood took on the beautiful garden at Mill of Forneth when she and her husband Graham bought the property five years ago.

They set about putting their own stamp on the James Aitken-designed space.

“The garden was originally a small farm attached to a water mill for the Forneth Estate,” said Heather.

“In the mid-1970s, the ruined mill house was bought from the estate and the new owner commissioned Scottish naturalist and garden designer James Aitken to lay out a new garden.

“He created a garden that uses contours and features similar to Scottish mountain landscapes. We owe much to the previous owners for the basic structure and delightful planting of mature trees and shrubs, including some large banks of rhododendrons.

“The colours in May and June are quite spectacular. We were able to expose some of the smaller plants that had been overgrown and allow them to flourish.

“We have completely ruined a former tennis court, digging raised beds and constructing a small polytunnel and fruit cage to grow fruit and vegetables. We should apologise to keen tennis players, but the produce is more rewarding.”

Having constructed two smaller gardens in previous homes, Heather is delighted to be able to devote much more of her time to her new outdoor space.

“We now have the luxury of time and the challenge of growing as much as we can on a shoestring,” she said.

“Vegetables and flowers are grown from seed or cuttings whenever possible. Of course, it is quicker and easier to buy ready-grown large specimens and this gives an earlier result. But bargain hunting and sowing seeds from scratch works, too, provided you work with nature and time sowing successfully.”

The couple love to welcome visitors to their garden. “We have both learned so much about the area, the growing conditions and what plants do well,” said Heather. “We’ve also met friends who share our enthusiasm and experts who can identify plants we can’t recognise.

“As a gardener, you can swap plants and ideas. A garden open day is hard work and if the weather’s bad, it can be discouraging. But you always get more out of the experience than you put in. Real gardeners are cheerful stoics, ready in warm clothing and wellies to make the best of wind, rain and hail.”

Heather is keen to find out more about the original design of the garden and the history of the site.

“We would love to see photos or access the archives James Aitken kept of his work,” she says. “So far, we haven’t been very successful, but we hope somebody out there knows more.”

Visit: scotlandsgardens.org/mill-of-forneth

The gardens at Mill of Forneth are a riot of colour in May and June.