Pitmuies Gardens
February 27th 2016
Pitmuies has been in the hands of a number of owners over the centuries all of whom have contributed in their own way to make the garden what it is today. The garden walls date back to 1780 and create a micro climate of peace and tranquillity with its unique feature being that the gardens surround the house.
There are in fact two walled gardens, the first one is where most visitors start their tour, the kitchen garden. It is a mixture of flowers, shrubs, fruit trees and vegetables. The apple trees have been underplanted with hellebores and by cutting the leaves away in February they flower until late Spring, along with giant snowdrops, iris reticulata and aconites.
The second walled garden is the more formal garden which is entered through wrought iron gates and an archway of clipped pear frames the central herbaceous borders which are flanked by red hedges of cherry plum.
At the bottom of the garden you go through another white gate leading down onto a small grass meadow which in Spring is a mass of purple and white crocuses which over the years have naturalised and spread. The meadow was a drying green for the house in the past and on the left is a beautiful Gothic wash house, built over 200 years ago. The walk along the riverside is lined by stately beech and lime trees which may date back to the 1770s. Along the walk you pass a beautiful and unusual turreted doo’cot which is surrounded by a mass of aconites. A bridge takes you back across the Turbie Burn, to a walk leading back towards the house, planted with native hornbeam trees. In the spring this whole area is a mass of daffodils and narcissi.
Another of the walks out with the garden is the Woodland Garden this lies to the far side of the bridge carrying the road over the East Drive, sheltered and shady it has carpets of snowdrops in early Spring.
Where: Pitmuies Gardens, Guthrie, Forfar, Angus DD8 2SN
Website: www.pitmuies.com
Opening times: Snowdrop Festival 30th January – 15th March. Daily from 1st April – 31st October between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm
Admission: Adult £5 children go free
Dogs: Welcome but on leads
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