Attadale Gardens
Strathcarron, Ross-Shire IV54 8YX
Visiting Attadale Gardens at this time of year allows visitors to enjoy the garden’s structures and views from one section to the next. Designed by the late Nicky Macpherson, who was a painter by training, it has been designed for people to enjoy the views down Loch Carron and beyond, to the Cuillins on Skye. The Gulf Stream enables tender plants to flourish here.
As a participant in the Scottish Snowdrop Festival, throughout February there are snowdrops to be enjoyed in various parts of the garden, including Spring Snowflakes kindly supplied by experts from Cambo Gardens in Fife. The gardeners are currently hard at work preparing for the main open season from 1 April, but already spring is making itself felt. Attadale is famous for its old and long-established rhododendrons, and already, early rhododendrons are in bloom as a precursor of the many more that are to come.
Visitors can wander through the water gardens and enjoy the views of the old house through the trees. Over 1000 new trees were planted in the early nineties to replace the many ancient Scots Pines that had been blown down by a succession of storms. This has created new opportunities for the garden; the large holes left by the fallen trees’ roots filled with up with black peaty water, and thus, the idea of a water garden was born.
Sculptures have also been thoughtfully placed throughout the garden, encouraging visitors to pause and appreciate their position. Some are almost hidden but a map listing them encourages adults and children to explore.
There are also lovely hellebores blooming at the front of the house, in the protected microclimate created by the white walls, which encourage them to flourish. Erythroniums are already peeking out, therefore a wander round the gardens at this time of year offers more than just snowdrops.
Website: www.attadalegardens.com
Telephone: 01520 722603
Opening times: 28th February 2pm Snowdrop Tour; Open daily from 1st April to end of October, 10am until 5.30pm
Admission costs: £8.00 Adults, £6.00 Seniors, £1.00 Children
Garden of the Week is in association with Discover Scottish Gardens. For more information, advice and day-out ideas, visit discoverscottishgardens.org
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