THIS weekend is your last chance to enjoy the Scottish Snowdrop Festival, so why not wrap up warm and enjoy some greenery.
The festival is a wonderful opportunity to see gardens that are otherwise unavailable to the public.
And with Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s a great option for a fun family day out.
Brooklands
A large old walled garden, richly planted with a wide variety of perennials, including many unusual species, soft fruit and vegetables.
The mature woodland is carpeted with snowdrops in February and daffodils in spring.
Visits by arrangement until 11th March.
Mr and Mrs Robert Herries, Crocketford DG2 8QH
Directions: Turn off the A712 Crocketford to New Galloway Road one mile outside Crocketford at the Gothic gatehouse (on the right travelling north).
T: Head Gardener John Geddes 01556 690685
Admission: £4.00, children free
Charities: All proceeds to SGS Beneficiaries
Ardmaddy Castle
The gardens, in a spectacular setting, are shielded by mature woodlands, carpeted with bluebells and daffodils and protected from the winds by the elevated castle.
The walled garden is full of magnificent rhododendrons, a collection of rare and unusual shrubs and plants, the ‘Clock Garden’ with its cutting flowers, the new crevice garden, fruit and veg grown with labour saving formality, all within dwarf box hedging.
Beyond, a woodland walk, with its 60 foot hydrangea, leads to the water gardens.
Open till dusk up to March 11th
Mr and Mrs Charles Struthers, Oban PA34 4QY
Directions: Take the A816 south of Oban for eight miles. Turn right B844 to Seil Island/Easdale. Four miles on, turn left on to Ardmaddy Road (signed) for a further two miles
T:01852 300353 E:minette@ardmaddy.com
Admission: £4.50, children free
Charities: Donation to SGS Beneficiaries
Gargunnock House Garden
Five miles from Stirling, this large area boasts a walled garden, a well established house garden, woodland walks with species and hybrid rhododendrons and massed plantings of azaleas.
Visitors can enjoy snowdrops in February/March, over 40 varieties of daffodils in bloom in April and an impressive display of azaleas and rhododendrons in May.
Open until 3.30pm on March 11th
The Gargunnock Trustees, Gargunnock FK8 3AZ
Directions: Five miles west of Stirling on A811, follow the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme signs. Car parking at entrance by lodge. Honesty box in car park
T:01786 860392 E:gargunnockgardens@btinternet.com
Designed Landscape: http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/GDL00188
Admission: £4.00, children free
Charities: Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance 40% & Gargunnock Community Trust 20%
Abriachan Garden Nursery
An outstanding garden with over four acres of exciting plantings with winding paths through native woodlands.
Mr and Mrs Davidson, Loch Ness Side IV3 8LA
Directions: On the A82 Inverness/Drumnadrochit road, approximately eight miles south of Inverness.
T:01463 861232 E:info@lochnessgarden.com
Admission: £3.00, children free
Charities: Highland Hospice 60%
Craichlaw
A formal garden with herbaceous borders around the house. Set in extensive grounds with lawns, lochs and woodland.
A path around the main loch leads to a water garden returning past a recently planted arboretum in the old walled garden.
Mr and Mrs A Gladstone, Kirkcowan, Newton Stewart DG8 0D
Directions: Take the B733 for Kirkcowan off the A75 at the Halfway House eight miles west of Newton Stewart. Craichlaw House is the first turning on the right.
Visits are by arrangement
T: 01671 830208 E: craichlaw@aol.com
Admission: £4.00, children free
Charities: Donation to SGS Beneficiaries
10 Pilmuir Road West
In early spring there are approximately 150 named snowdrops to be seen here, some of which are very rare.
The garden has over 300 cultivars of hostas, an extensive collection of hardy geraniums together with many other unusual plants.
Managed entirely without the use of artificial fertilizers or chemicals, the owner encourages hedgehogs, toads and wild birds to control slugs.
Visits by arrangement until March 11th
Mrs Lorraine Dingwall, Forres IV36 2HL
Directions: From Tesco roundabout at Forres continue along Nairn Road. Take the first left onto Ramflat Road, then go right at the bottom and first left onto Pilmuir Road West.
T: 01309 674634 E: fixandig@aol.com
Admission: £3.00, children free
Charities: Macmillan Cancer Support 60%
Fingask Castle
The garden with a sense of humour: Alice in Wonderland topiary staggers across the lawn, bumping into stone globes, marble balls and statues from three centuries.
Historical and literary figures are scattered among pleasure gardens first laid out in the 18th century.
Both Bonnie Prince Charlie and his father are said to have approached the castle from the longer yew parade, the Kings Walk.
There is a marked 15 minute walk down the steep dell to a medieval wishing well (St. Peter’s), over a Chinese Bridge crossing the Fingask burn via the Iron Age Fort to Fingask Loch and Sir Stuart’s House, back along another path to the orchard car park (wellies recommended).
There are large drifts of snowdrops, daffodils and flowering shrubs depending on the season
Designed Landscape: http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/GDL00179
Visit by arrangement until March 8th
Mr and Mrs Andrew Murray Threipland, Rait PH2 7SA
Directions: Half way between Perth and Dundee. From the A90 follow signs to Rait until small crossroad, turn right and follow signs to Fingask.
T:01821 670777E:andrew@fingaskcastle.com
Admission: £3.00, children free
Charities: Fingask Follies 30% & All Saints Church, Glencarse 30%
Bruckhills Croft
An informal country cottage garden extending to ¾ acre with a further acre as wildflower meadow and pond.
The pond has been extensively replanted with primulas and irises for 2018. Themed borders include a White Border, a Butterfly Alley and a Blue and Yellow Border.
Relax on one of the many seats in the garden, enjoy a cuppa and homebake in the pavilion, and children can follow the treasure trail. The snowdrops featured on the Beechgrove Garden in 2017.
Visits by arrangement until 11 March
Paul and Helen Rushton, Rothienorman, Inverurie AB51 8YB
Directions: At Rothienorman take the B9001 north, just after Badenscoth Nursing Home turn left, in one mile you will be directed where to park depending if it is the winter or summer opening.
T: 01651 821596 E: helenrushton1@aol.com
Admission: £4.00, children free
Charities: Befriend A Child Ltd 60%
The Festival is organised by Discover Scottish Gardens and supported by Visit Scotland and Scotland’s Gardens Scheme.
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