Where plants thrive and people power flourishes

AMISFIELD WALLED GARDEN Haddington

East Lothian EH41 4PT

WHY WE SHOULD VISIT

Old walled gardens abound in Scotland, and there’s a charm to their crumbling walls and mossy paths, but it is even more rewarding to discover one that has been saved from dereliction and is a thriving centre of community activity.

Amisfield Walled Garden is one of those spaces and it is flourishing thanks to the work of the Amisfield Preservation Trust and the huge band of volunteers who help it to flourish, gaining valuable horticultural skills as they do so.

STORY OF THE GARDEN

Once the kitchen garden of Amisfield House, the 18th-century walled enclosure suffered the same fate as many similar gardens during the 20th century, when labour was expensive and in short supply.

It eventually passed into the hands of the local authority, who used it as a tree nursery, before finally, in 2013 signing it over to the Trust, which has been operating it ever since, turning it into a place that the whole community can enjoy.

HIGHLIGHTS

Deep herbaceous borders are filled in summer with a riot of colourful flowers. Ornamental circular pavilions stand in each corner of the garden, which is surrounded by mature woodland.

Paths that criss-cross the space lead to a central roundel, which in summer becomes a decorative potager, where annual flowers grow amongst the vegetables.

DON’T MISS

A winter garden of dogwoods, witch hazels and other scented shrubs, is under-planted with crocus and other early spring bulbs. Colourful stems brighten this corner during the darkest months. There’s also a sensory garden with perfumed flowers and tactile foliage.

ANYTHING ELSE TO LOOK OUT FOR?

An apple walk, heritage orchard and numerous pleached and fan-trained fruit trees around the walls, make for a stunning display of spring blossom, as well as for a fruitful autumn.

Each year the garden holds an Apple Day, when visitors can taste the many different fruits and get help with the identification of varieties from their own gardens.

Most of the apples grown at Amisfield are traditional Scottish varieties.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Alongside the Winter Garden, Amisfield is also developing a triangular-shaped maze in order to provide year-round interest for visitors.

The yews that make up the hedging for the maze were planted as saplings, but have grown rapidly in soil that has been cultivated for three centuries.

In spring, bulbs are joined with the first flush of foliage from emerging perennials, while in summer the Biodiversity Meadow

thrums with insects.

WHAT TO SEE IN THE LOCAL AREA

Climb to the top of the very steep Byres Hill and you will be rewarded with stunning views across East Lothian and the Forth. The hill is crowned by a tall, circular monument to the Fourth Earl of Hopetoun.

It was built in 1824 and for those with a good head for heights, there’s a further climb up the very dark and tight spiral staircase to a parapet and viewing platform.

DIRECTIONS

Haddington lies 20 miles from Edinburgh on the A1 and Amisfield Walled Garden lies at the eastern edge of Haddington Golf Course.

DETAILS

The garden is open Monday to Friday from 10am until 4pm. On Saturdays it opens from 10am until 1pm.

Entrance is free and the paths are suitable for visitors in wheelchairs.