There’s something special about visiting productive gardens, especially for those of us who love to get our hands in the soil. So, when we were in Fochabers recently, visiting family, Gordon Castle Walled Garden was a must-see. It’s one of the largest walled gardens in Europe, covering 8 acres—a true labour of love.
Back in the day, it would have taken around 50 gardeners to maintain, but now, with modern realities, just 5 full-time gardeners keep things going, supported by a team of enthusiastic volunteers. According to the map we received at the entrance, the garden is still in the process of being restored, though from what I saw, it already feels mature. There are some areas still being developed and areas still growing into the site —the yew hedges are still growing into their full size—but the garden itself already has a sense of fullness and history.
One of the highlights was definitely the fruit trees. Many of the original trees are still standing, including a remarkable 100-year-old apricot on the south-facing wall. The espaliered apple trees which line the tall walls were impressive with 82 different varieties and when we visited, they were heavily laden with fruit. We have noticed that 2024 was an excellent year for apples in Ayrshire, and it seems to be the same further north. I’d love to return in spring when the fruit trees are in full blossom—it must be an incredible display, with over 600 trees in the garden!
The garden’s redevelopment started in 2013, and landscape designer Arne Maynard was brought on board to create the new layout. His design is both practical and stunning. The garden is vast, but Maynard’s touches make the space feel manageable while preserving its historic character. There are beautifully sculpted grass areas creating a sunken performance space and flowing big hummocks giving orchard a designed feel while being maintainable. The vegetable beds, too, are meticulously arranged, with vibrant brassicas interplanted with calendula, borage, and tagetes—such a joyful mix of colours.
One of the standout features for me was the lavender area taking up a large amount of the centre of the garden. Even though the lavender had just been pruned back, its soft, cloud-like shape still provided structure. Another clever touch was the “rosemary rivers”—a brilliant idea that added a textural element to the landscape. I also admired the careful replication of the espaliered fruit trees, which feel perfectly in keeping with the garden’s traditional design. And the fruit arches were really beautiful and a great idea, bringing you face to face with the deliciously ripe fruit.
There was so much to explore that we were pleasantly surprised by how much variety the garden offered. The cut flower beds were especially lovely, and I was impressed by the clear, informative labelling of plants. Although many of us rely on apps these days, there’s something to be said for physical plant labels—especially when they’re as detailed as these. The apps often don’t quite get it right or can can only tell you the genus. The well-labelled fruit trees & bushes were also a fantastic resource for anyone curious about which varieties perform best in the local climate.
I also appreciated the attention to history throughout the garden. There’s a little film you can watch during your visit, and for history buffs, the website offers a full historical report, which provides a wealth of information about the Walled gardens past iterations. My inner geography geek particularly enjoyed the old maps.
It’s the kind of place you could return to often, and I can see why some locals do just that. We met an older lady who lives nearby, and she told us she walks in the garden almost every day when it’s open. She also mentioned that the annual pass is very reasonably priced, which is another incentive for frequent visits. The garden itself is flat and easy to walk, making it accessible to all.
As well as a look around the garden we of course stopped by the café – what’s a garden visit without cake? The menu looked nice with a hint of luxury —you can even enjoy a bottle of bubbly with your meal if you fancy it. Staff were friendly and overall it had a pleasant laid-back atmosphere.
On my way around, I couldn’t resist making a my usual mental list of plants to add to my own garden, much helped by the signage. Here are a few that really caught my eye:
- Aster novi-belgii ‘Rosenquartz’ – It’s always nice to see asters in pink
- Alcalthaea ‘Parkallee’ – a stunning peachy colour that popped up throughout the garden
- Stipa tenuissima ‘Pony Tails’ – a favourite I somehow always forget to plant!
- Dianthus ‘Green Trick’ – not quite sure where I would be planting these but those fluffy green spheres are so cute.
- Scabiosa ‘QIS Formula’ – a mix of lovely colours that the butterflies were obsessed with.
- Craspedia globosa – such striking little yellow spheres, perfect for flower arrangements.
- Globe artichoke – I adore this plant, but I can’t quite find the space for it in my veg patch. Maybe I’ll try and talk one of our customers into growing it!
- Alyssum – I need to remember this fragrant filler that’s perfect for planting between brassicas as they have.
- Geranium ‘Silver Queen’ – a graceful, upright variety that starts out purple/blue before turning a silvery hue.
- Erigeron – I was a bit envious but also heartened by how established it was in front of the south facing wall at the gardener’s cottage.
Of course, no garden would be complete without a few weeds, and I always like to take note of which plants make up the weed burden they’re working with. Like us, they seem to have a battle with marestail which they seem mostly to be winning, and thankfully, I didn’t spot any ground elder—a small victory for the gardeners! I’ll definitely be returning to Gordon Castle Walled Garden to admire the ongoing restoration and appreciate the fruits of the teams labour over the seasons.
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