Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Christina Fryle on November 17, 2008, 11:09:24 AM
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We are planning a journey for our garden society to Scotland in May. I believe there will be a few participants (beside myself) who are SRGC members. Of course we will visit several of the well known official gardens and nurseries - but it would be very interesting and fun to see some private gardens too.
Just to let you know something about who we are: Our members have a keen interest in plants; how to grow and propagate them. Our society has a seedlist much like that of the SRGC. Most of us are familiar with the Latin names of plants.
We will hire a coach (suggestions for a good coach company are welcome too!) to travel around. We will start out from Edinburgh om May 4 travelling west with stops like Greenbank Garden, Benmore Botanic Garden, Crarae Castle, Arduaine Castle then northeast to Cluny House, Explorers in Pitlochry, perhaps Christieīs Alpines, Glendoick, Bellīs Cherrybank Gardens. Then south towards Edinburgh again with stops like Binny Plants, Kevock Garden and (if they will let us visit) the private Inwood and Shepherd House Gardens. And of course the Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh on our last day, May 9.
That should give you an idea of the route - but nothing is definitely set yet. Do you (or someone you know) have a garden we could visit along the way? We would really like to meet ordinary, but dedicated, private gardeners, like ourselves. From other journeys we made I know both the garden owner and the visitors usually gets a lot out of those visits.
And of course; any time you are thinking of a Swedish garden tour I will be delighted to help you out!
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Hello, Christina, lovely to have you join in the Forum.
It sounds like you already have some great plans for your Scottish Trip, but I do not doubt that our Forumists will have some good ideas for you, too!
My husband, Ian Young, says, has he met you at the Botanic Gardens in Gothenberg, a few years ago? ( he is not good with remembering people names!)
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Thanks for the welcoming, Maggie! Yes, I met Ian in Gothenburg Botanic Gardens a few years ago. Lots of other friendly people too - and lots of whiskey ;-) One of the best things with the place I live in is that itīs only one hours drive from Gothenburg, so itīs easy to get inspiration.
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Christina, please do not drive east from Edinburgh, you will end up in the North Sea ! Travel west towards Glasgow. I have a few more suggestions for the west coast.
Geilston Gardens near Helensburgh ( National Trust for Scotland) is a beautiful small estate which would be at its best about this time
Glen Arn is a must if you like Rhododendrons.
Each of these could be done easily on the one day and still leave time to reach Benmore about 1 1/2 hours later.
Benmore can take me up to 4 hours to get round if all the rhododendrons are flower.
From Benmore to Crarae is about 1 1/2 hours and you could stop at Ardkinglass nurseries for a look at the plants - mainly Azaleas, Rhododendrons and trees
I could certainly recommend Achamore gardens on the Isle of Gigha if you had time but this would take the best part of a day. However, it is one of those gardens that live in your memory -partly because of its location.
In Perth, Branklyn gardens is a must. It's probably the best small garden in the country.
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Hi Christina,
Just a thought ... would any of the SRGC groups be holding a meeting during your stay ... evenings are also a good time to watch lectures, meet other enthusiasts and talk excitedly about plants. Hope you have a magnificent trip ... Maggi, would their be any Shows that they could attend ... I don't have the dates and venues to hand?
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Maggi, would their be any Shows that they could attend ... I don't have the dates and venues to hand?
I'm working on it, Cliff! Sadly, most Groups finish their meetings in April and the nearest show is Glasgow ( held in Milngavie) on the 2nd May. :(
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Thanks for the warning, TC! Of course we would like to see some other water than the North Sea - and not leave the country so soon after landing. Sadly enough there is no ferry from Gothenburg anymore, so we canīt do as much plant shopping as we would like. Alpines will be OK though. You could put quite a few in a suitcase...
I checked the show times before and noticed we just missed the one on May 2. But maybe someone from our group will arrive early enough to go there. We are travelling to/from Scotland on our own as we are arriving from different places in Sweden - very far apart. It is easy to book a cheap flight from here - but not for a whole group.
In late August I visited Geilston. It was very nice - and obviously a spring garden. But I was a little disappointed by the lack of labels. I guess it is the same with most of you. Donīt you want to know the name when you see a plant you like?
I will check Glen Arn as Rhododendron is a special interest with quite a few of our members.
Branklyn is on my wish list - now it popped up on my special wish list!
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Dear Christina,
I would suggest you contact all of the places you intend to visit a bit in advance,
as I am sure they would kindly offer you tea and cakes etc if they know you have come
along way to see them.
Giles
You will need to plan another visit further North sometime to see Inverewe (my favourite garden).
A fine loch-side site with a nice walled garden and lots of rhododendrons and weird stuff.
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Yes, I will contact all the gardens well in advance. And I am sure we will arrange more journeys to Scotland in the future to see other parts of the country as well. One up north - and one south at least. I would really like to visit Inverewe some day.
As it is tiring to spend too much time on the roads we will concentrate on one part of the country at a time.
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As it is tiring to spend too much time on the roads we will concentrate on one part of the country at a time.
I think that is sensible, Christina. Scottish roads are not always the best and sometimes, while the distance in miles/kms may look quite short, the actual journey time may be quite long and, as you say, tiring.
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Hi Christina, I am sure that your planned trip will be superb. We here at Christie's nursery would be delighted to see you all and if you come in late May near the end then perhaps part of your trip could be a visit to Gardening Scotland at the end of May a great day out for everyone with masses of plants for sale Floral displays fancy pots sweeping brushes,everything for gardens, the biggest show in Scotland. At our nursery here in Kirriemuir we would have masses of meconopsis (big Blue poppies)and primulas with other plants to interest you plus a free cup of tea or whatever, sorry we could not stretch to the whisky but it would be wonderful to meet you. cheers Ian the Christie kind,
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I am sure mum would be happy to have your group, she doesn't have any visits for next year yet. She is about 4mls from Perth.
Susan
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Thanks a lot, Ian, for your kind invitation. As you could see in my first post we were already hoping you would take us in! Our journey is planned to take place May 4-9, so we will miss the highlights of the end of the month. But hopefully there will be a lot to see anyway.
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Susan! Perhaps it is rude of me - but as I am new to this forum I am not sure who your mum is? So I would not know who to ask...
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Christina, I think that early May will be better for your trip just becasue ofthe big garden show at the end of the month.... at the beginning of the month people will be less busy and have more time for visitors, I hope!
Susan's wonderful Mum and Dad are Jean and Tom Band who have a super garden in the village of Pitcaringreen, just a few lies out of Perth.... I do not doubt that you can contact Jean via a pm to Susan, via this forum and Susan will be your liason officer!! 8)
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Thanks for the information! I have to check wich date we will be in wich place before deciding anything - but I am very grateful for the tip!
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Christina, I've been to Susan's mum's garden, you should put it on your list right away, while the offer is there, its very, very nice, full of lovely surprises! I went with a coach trip and there was plenty of room for all of us around the garden, and in such a lovely tranquil setting too.
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Yes, of course I will put it on my list! I just meant I cantīt book anything before I know the exact schedule. Iīm really looking forward to this trip!
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I didn't spot on your list, Branklyn Garden in Perth. Its a super garden, under National Trust for Scotland ownership I think. Enjoyed it much more than Cherrybank, also in Perth. Not sure what is happening with Cherrybank nowadays, maybe someone else would elaborate?
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Interesting! Branklyn IS on my list - I just didnīt mention all the places... Is Cherrybank changing in any way? I havenīr been there - just thought it would be interesting as a some of our members are avid collectors of heaths and heathers.
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Christina, as this thread is developping, I think you'd better prepare to spend a month in Scotland ::) ::) ::)
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Yes, I realise we wonīt be able to see a third of all the suggested sights! But I am sure we will come back another time and then I will look back and pick some of the places we miss on this first tour. And in between I might show up with my husband Leif. The two of us travel a lot - not only on garden tours, but also to see plants in their natural settings in the mountains. And sometimes not even to see plants but for the good exercise and beautiful views.
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And sometimes not even to see plants but for the good exercise and beautiful views.
You sometimes walk with your head up, now there's a novelty ... please don't tell my wife ... (she has undergone years of training to spot plants)!! :D
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Dear Christine,
Just email me is you want to visit mum's garden. It is certainly lovely in May. I am afraid the field where I grow most of my plants is too difficult to get to by bus, I have a few frames near my house, which is in the same village to mum's, you can look at them if you want.
One of my favourite gardens in this area is Cluny gardens although I am not sure if you can get a large bus to there or not.
Cherrybank gardens is a good heather garden but I am not sure if it will open next year as they only have one gardener at the moment, a crazy idea about enlarging it to make it the biggest garden in Scotand used up all their money and never got off the ground.
Susan
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Ah, Susan, I knew there was some recent news about Cherrybank, but couldn't remember what. Cluny is one of my favourites too, but when we went it was quite impossible to consider a bus trip up there, I went separately to see it when we were staying near Aberfeldy. Your mum's garden is just super!
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Cliff, as devoted photographers of not only flowers we have to raise our heads to get pictures of the views too! And in some mountains the plants are not as many as the good sights. Madeira for example. But I donīt have that many pictures of the Dolomitian views. Too many flowers there!
Susan, yes I will email you. I have a deadline in a few days. Will check everything concerning the tour afterwards and get back to you.
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Christina, you should see some of the landacape and mountain views that Cliff shows us in the Dolomite pages of this forum... he ;), too, looks up sometimes.... it is Mrs Booker who must concentrate on the ground!!
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... it is Mrs Booker who must concentrate on the ground!!
Oh yes ... she of the permanent stoop and the heavy backpack ...
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:D :D
I was sure you love her dearly Cliff... ::) ;D
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Oh, poor Mrs Booker, then!
Yes, I think I already looked at some of those wonderful Dolomite photos - and longed to go back! But our next journey (after Scotland) is to northern Greece. We went there in May this year and loved it, so we just have to go back soon!
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:D :D
I was sure you love her dearly Cliff... ::) ;D
More than the rarest Ranunculus, Luc ... ;) :D
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:D :D
I was sure you love her dearly Cliff... ::) ;D
More than the rarest Ranunculus, Luc ... ;) :D
well, you cannot say more than that declaration.... this surely IS true love....... congratulations, Sue Booker!
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Just want to say Thank You! for your help on suggesting places to visit on our Scotland tour now in May. We are off to Edinburgh now on Sunday - and hopefully we will see some of you "on tour". Special thanks to Susan and Ian! See you soon :)
When I get back home I might post a few pictures of Scottish gardens from a Swedish point of view ;)
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When I get back home I might post a few pictures of Scottish gardens from a Swedish point of view
Please do Christina, after all many of the members do not live in Scotland :)
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Christina,
Have a lovely holiday and I look forward to seeing photographs on your return.
Paddy