A fine hunting ground for the rarest of blooms

WHY WE SHOULD VISIT

The beautiful and fertile county of Fife has many fine estates and historic houses, but few are quite so interesting as Backhouse Rossie, which not only looks beautiful but is also horticulturally important. It is home to the National and Scientific Collection of Backhouse Rossie Narcissi, a unique group of many rare daffodils.

STORY OF THE GARDEN

The 110-acre estate dates from the 11th century and for a time it was a royal hunting ground. The first record of a house was in 1488 and the present mansion house has an 18th-century facade, a Georgian wing and a Victorian conservatory.

Since they moved to Backhouse Rossie almost 20 years ago, owners Caroline and Andrew Thomson have carried out an extensive restoration and development of the gardens, filling them with flowers for seasonal interest throughout the year.

HIGHLIGHTS

Caroline Thomson is a descendant of the Backhouse family, who over many generations carried out pioneering work on the development of modern daffodils. The Backhouse Centre on the estate holds a large collective of these cultivars, which are in flower throughout April. These grow alongside a large number of spring flowers, including tulips, blossom trees and alpine plants.

DON’T MISS

The walled garden at the heart of the estate is filled not just with bulbs, but also with summer perennials and shrubs and trees that provide autumn colour. There is a glasshouse, fruit trees around the walls, a shade border, shrubbery walk and a potager, which in summer is filled with cut flowers, making it a favourite spot for weddings.

ANYTHING ELSE TO LOOK OUT FOR?

Beyond the walls there is a fern and hosta border and woodland walks, all of which are continually being developed. And when visitors have worked up an appetite, they can find refreshments in the Backhouse Kitchen, where many of the ingredients used by the chefs are grown on the estate or by local producers.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Next weekend, on Saturday, 8 and Sunday, 9 April, the estate will be holding the annual Scotland’s Daffodil Festival 2023. Not only will the daffodils be at their very best at that time, but there will also be stalls serving food, snacks and drinks as well as some hosted by leading nurseries, including specialist daffodil growers R&A Scamp and Chelsea gold medalwinning Binny Plants.

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE AREA

The coastline of north Fife has historic villages, world-class golf courses and some of the best beaches in Scotland. Nearby Loch Leven is an important site for waterfowl and a path has been developed around its entire perimeter. Over the years many archaeological finds dating back to the Bronze Age have been unearthed around the loch.

DIRECTIONS

Backhouse Rossie Estate is located off the A91,

1.2 miles east of Auchtermuchty