Ornamental and kitchen gardens, green spaces that attract wildlife and pretty cottage gardens – they’re all waiting for visitors this weekend, writes Susan Welsh
This weekend, there’s a lovely selection of gardens, not normally open to the public, throwing their gates open to welcome visitors as part of the Scotland’s Gardens charity scheme.
There’s a chance to meet and chat with the owners, perhaps pick up a tip or two, admire the planting schemes, and even relax over a refreshing cuppa.
Gardens open include:
Middle Cairncake
This garden is on the A9170 between New Deer and Cuminestown and is clearly signposted.
The owners have spent seven years planning and planting the garden, which now includes a kitchen garden with soft fruit and vegetables and a polytunnel, greenhouse, herbaceous beds, heathers, water garden and a walled rose garden.
The garden is on a windy site and, to give it shelter, there are walls which have been built with stone dug from the garden.
This garden is open this Saturday and Sunday, July 12 and 13, from 12.30pm-5pm. Disabled friendly, there will be homemade teas and a plant stall available.
Contact: 01888 544432
Douneside House near Tarland
This is the former home of Lady MacRobert, who designed and developed the gardens from farmland in the early to mid-1900s.
Overlooking the Deeside hills, the gardens feature ornamental terraced borders, woodland and water gardens which surround a spectacular elevated lawn.
There’s a large walled garden which supplies vegetables and cut flowers and also houses a large ornamental greenhouse.
Disabled friendly, there’s a visit from a local pipe band, raffle, homemade teas and a plant stall. Dogs are welcome.
It’s open this Sunday, July 13, from 2-5pm. Admission is £4 with £2 concessions, children free.
Contact: 01339 881444.
Forres
There are three gardens open for viewing in Forres this Sunday, July 13, which are 1 Sanquahar Drive, 10 Pilmuir Road West and Newbold House.
It costs just £5 to visit all three gardens. There will be plant stalls at Sanquhar Drive and Pilmuir Road West, and teas on offer at Newbold House.
1 Sanquhar Drive, Open from 2-6pm
This is an informal cottage-style garden with mixed borders, vegetables and fruit. It is cultivated without artificial fertiliser and chemicals and provides habitats and food for wildlife.
10 Pilmuir Road West, Open from 2-6pm
This plantsman’s small town garden has more than 300 cultivars of hostas and an extensive collection of hardy geraniums, together with many other unusual plants.
The garden is managed entirely without the use of artificial fertilisers or chemicals and the owner encourages hedgehogs, toads and wild birds to control slugs.
Contact: 01309 674634.
Newbold House, St Leonard’s Road, Open from 2-6pm
This garden sits within the structure of a late 19th-century mansion and its now-mature conifer plantings and glorious rhododendrons.
It features a beautiful walled garden combining vegetables, fruit and flowers, together with an original glasshouse.
The main part of the garden contains a variety of herbaceous and annual plantings and is being consciously developed as a wildlife-friendly space.
To this end, a butterfly garden has been planted and parts of the lawns are being managed to increase their wildflower content. Apple trees are a particular feature, with nearly 100 trees of more than 30 varieties.
The house is a listed building in recognition of the original conservatory by Mackenzie and Moncur and is planted with a variety of tender plants and fruit.
Contact: 01309 672659.