Stella’s Scottish odyssey

The week didn’t start well. The train was delayed at King’s Cross and then got stuck behind a freight service so was an hour and a half late into Edinburgh. The visits, next day, to two lovely gardens near Peebles, about three quarters of an hour south west from the city more than made up. The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh took responsibility for Dawyck in the 1970s. The gardens of this country estate are renown for their woodland areas and spectacular plantings of rhododendrons and azelas. All tastes in colours are catered for: from deep reds and oranges to more subtle whites and mauves. There are also areas covered in beautiful blue Meconopsis. A former owner, Sir John Naesmith was a patron of the plant-hunter, David Douglas (1799-1834) and there are splendid examples of his fir here as well as some impressive redwoods.

While we were in the area we decided to call in at Kailzie Gardens which are undergoing significant development. Their glasshouses were one of the first installed in the 1860s by the famous Scottish firm of Mackenzie and Moncur. We were fascinated to read about the restoration which involves much linseed oil to ensure the wood-framed structures last for another century and a half at least! The gardens themselves provide a peaceful but colourful sanctuary with herbaceous borders to inspire and walks with views of the lovely countryside beyond. We finished our outings with tea in a stylish courtyard café.

The journey the next day up to the north coast of Aberdeenshire was happily pleasantly uneventful. The weather was kind although breezy. The joyful surprise here was the self-seeded Aquilegia. Mauves of all hues including some almost black had created a pretty seaside garden at our cottage. And as we pottered along the coast we saw in gardens everywhere these lovely old-fashioned but ever graceful blooms.

Back in Edinburgh, I was privileged to walk around the Dean Gardens with my cousin who has been involved in managing this historic landscape for more than a decade. The seven acres of these private gardens, established in the 1860s, run along each side of the river, Water of Leith, and under Thomas Telford’s monumental Dean Bridge only a stone’s throw from Princes Street. Members, who all live nearby, pay an annual fee for a key to the four garden gates and then enjoy unlimited access. The steep sides leading down to the river are closely planted with many trees and shrubs creating a semi-wild, woodland feeling. There are also ‘viewpoints’ and a lawn where a group were playing frisbee in the warm evening sunshine. For me, the mock oranges, Philadelphus, were particularly impressive, stretching high up over neighbouring plants. Their scent was joyous and their blossoms, wash-day white. There are also many rambling roses, gentle creams and pale yellows, all blooming happily. Like us, gardeners here are longing for rain. But unlike in the South East, the temperatures here are gentler with that sharp easterly sometimes causing problems. What a treat and what a special peaceful oasis so near the centre of Scotland’s capital city.

Stella B