The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
A garden that offers an escape from the world
Afamily-run estate in Fife is hoping to attract visitors to its “hidden gem” of a garden, which features Scotland’s longest rose arch.
The Backhouse Rossie Estate is open to the public throughout summer, and after 18 years of hard work the family is keen for people to enjoy it.
Run by engineer Andrew Thomson and his artist wife Caroline, visitors to the estate and its walled garden can enjoy rare plants – including the heritage daffodils.
One of only nine private gardens in Scotland awarded partner garden status by the Royal Horticultural Society, the estate is also home to red squirrels and moths that have never been seen before in Fife.
Ms Thomson says they ensure the garden is planted in a way that takes account of the surrounding area and its needs.
She said: “We plant carefully and thoughtfully, we try to make as few interruptions to the natural landscape as possible.
“We add to it rather than take away from it, and I think that’s where the lovely atmosphere comes from.”
Two species of moth which had not been seen before in Fife have also been spotted in the garden as a result of the wet woodland.
The 100-yard rose arch is a particular highlight Ms Thomson says, with the white roses in full bloom.
She is encouraging people to come to visit, telling The Courier that sharing the garden with the public is important to her family.
She said: “It’s always nice to have people visit and appreciate the work we do.
“When somebody says it looks lovely, that makes you feel much better for the day. It’s like a little wild place that no one knows is here, just off the A91. We’re so close to civilisation, but when you come through the doors it’s the sound of birdsong you hear.
“People says it’s a hidden escape from the busy world.”