A Trip To Pitmedden Gardens (Part 1)

Last week we had another trip out to enjoy the beautiful weather before summer finally disappears. 

We travelled just 14 miles North of Aberdeen to the stunning Pitmedden Gardens. 

The magnificent walled garden was originally laid out in 1675 by Sir Alexander Seton.

(I really am falling in love with walled gardens).

The granite wall has sheltered the garden for more than 300 years... imagine that!

Little is known about the early history of the garden, but from at least the 1840's it was a productive kitchen garden, famed for it's apples and pears.

The wall has provided the garden protection from the worst of the weather, wind and predators over the years.

The property was gifted to the National Trust in 1952. 

The Trust set about re-creating the gardens following designs dating from the 17 century.

Today, Pitmedden features over 5 miles of box hedging arranged in intricate patters to form six parterres. 

(A parterre is a formal garden constructed on a level surface, consisting of planting beds, typically in symmetrical patterns, separated and connected by gravel pathways)
The gardener was busy with the hedge cutters, whist we wondered around the grounds.
I can imagine that it's a never ending job.
These parterres are filled with 40,000 plants bursting with colour, which makes quite a spectacle.
Unfortunately, some of the box hedging is suffering from the dreaded box blight that is plaguing the
UK at the moment, but it is currently being treated, so hopefully it will recover.

This is the centre of the walled garden looking out to the rear.

I've put in a request for my lawn to look like this next year. 

(A wall garden and a pristine lawn... not much to ask for really) 

This is the reverse of the photo above, looking back at the house.

A good part of being able to visit during the week is that there are very few visitors, so I am able to capture the images without people wandering into the shot.

The wall is hard to see on this photo below because it is covered it is fully laden with apples and pears. If you look closely you might be able to see the step ladders of one of the gardeners.

They were busy pruning the fruit.

The gardener was telling us about the September festival here at Pitmedden Gardens, when all the apples and pears are sold off.

Apple Sunday 'Applea and Cornkisters' will be held on Sunday 25th September.

The garden was positively buzzing with the sound of busy bees.

There is plenty more to show you but I'm aware of that I've probably taken up too much of your time, so I'll carry on with Part 2 another day. 

As well as the beautiful garden there's an orchard, small gallery, a museum of farming life with a fantastic collection of machinery and photographs of time gone by, plus a woodland walks.

Phew... I think it's time we should head to the cafe for afternoon tea. 

It's hard to imagine that today a garden would be planted on such an extravagant scale.

I hope you'll join me next time to carry on with our visit in Part 2.

I am linking today to
Wordless Wednesday... create with joy
Our World Tuesday
Wordless (on Tuesday at image-in-ing)
Although I'm hardly wordless, so I hope I'll be forgiven.