Private, National and Community Projects Restoring Historic Scottish Gardens
Happily, a greater awareness has risen in the past two decades, spurred by both the ecological and architectural communities, of the value in restoring and preserving old and ancient buildings along with their immediate surroundings. Apart from the continued efforts of many organisations to preserve architecture, gardens and plants, a nod must go here to Kevin McCloud’s Grand Designs television programme, which has made it fashionable to ‘do up’ old ruins, rather than buying property outright.
Renaissance
Baltersan Castle, Palnure, Dumfries and Galloway
Currently for sale (2011), the four acres of Baltersan’s original gardens are currently laid to crops and grazing. Records exist in the castle’s archive describing the layout of the sixteenth century walled kitchen garden, pleasure garden and orchards. Details of the proposed restoration project can be found at Baltersan Castle Garden
Nineteenth Century
Glen Tanar Gardens, Royal Deeside
This estate, established by Sir William Cunliffe Brooks in 1869, thrives today with a mixture of traditional sports, event hosting, cottage holidays and wildlife preservation projects. The appointment of a new Estate Gardner in 2011 has opened the way to restoring the original gardens surrounding the main house.
Glen Tanar News
Royal Edinburgh Hospital Community Garden Project, Myreside Road/Morningside Terrace, Edinburgh
A three acre site encompassing old grounds and orchards which existed around the mid-nineteenth century villa before the modern hospital was built.
Royal Edinburgh Garden News
Trumland House Gardens, Orkney
The house and gardens were laid out by General Sir Frederick William Traill Burroughs, the ‘Little General’, at the end of the 19th Century after returning from India. Garden and grounds are open to the public during restoration.
Opening Times
Organizations
Glasgow Guerilla Gardening
Unofficial community project targeting wasteground and neglected public garden sites.