Gardening

Our visit to the gardens at Drumlanrig House was voted one of the best  of the year – certainly the biggest garden visited by the group.

Robbie Black, Head Gardener, took members round the extensive and varied gardens starting with a view of the formal gardens from the castle terrace. The West Parterre had roses and catmint and the East Parterre was of topiary made up of box, yew and cypress. Unfortunately the box is diseased and is to be taken out.

In walking through the woodland gardens, we saw one of the first Douglas Firs planted in the UK grown from seed brought back by David Douglas and what is thought to be one of the largest weeping willows in the country.

From the Victorian summerhouse we had a view of the Marr Burn and further on we visited the Heather house, constructed of local timbers with a lining of moss and heather. In the winter garden there was a collection of cornuses and viburnums.

After an hour and a half walk round the gardens we enjoyed an excellent lunch in the castle tearoom.

It was then on to visit the garden at Dabton house, the private residence of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch.

This was in complete contrast with a large walled garden, vegetable garden, herbaceous beds and beds of cutting flowers such as dahlias and chrysanthemums. The apple trees, some young and some very old, were hanging with apples. John Candlish, Head Gardener,explained the changes which he had made in the garden over the years. He has only one assistant to help him manage the whole garden and cut the large areas of grass!

Another successful outing.

Gardening Group 1 had a second visit to the garden at Barwhinnock House on 6 May. The first visit in February was to see the carpets of snowdrops but this time the attraction was the many rhododendrons, azaleas and spring flowers. Even though Spring is late this year there was a colourful display helped by the bright sunshine.

The rhododendron RH Thomsonii, originally from the Himalayas, was in full flower with dark red blooms and the group saw a rare “Leonard Messel” magnolia which looks like stellate magnolia but has more petals in the star shaped flowers. There was also a more usual stellate magnolia close to another red flowering rhododendron.

Unfortunately no red squirrels were spotted on this visit.

Gardening Group 1 had a second visit to the garden at Barwhinnock House on 6 May…

In bright sunshine the Stewartry U3A Gardening Group 1 visited Barwhinnock House, Twynholm to see the carpets of snowdrops.

The group went first to the walled garden which is most unusual as it is oval shaped. Outside the garden gate what everyone thought to be a tree stump turned out to be the massive crown of a Royal Fern.   

Walking along the paths between the specimen rhododendrons there was a group of Spring Snowflakes and further along the burn the huge drifts of snowdrops appeared. The garden contained around 40 different varieties of snowdrops and many had multiplied and spread beneath the trees over the years.

Red squirrels were spotted climbing in the large beech trees.

It was enjoyable first outing of the year for the group.