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Home , Greenhouse, Parterre

ELCOME to Drumlanrig Castle gardens, home to the W Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry. Strongly influenced by the Victorian era, the gardens are steeped in historical design and 13 architecture. Presently the gardens follow a Victorian style mixed with modern planting designs. We hope you enjoy your visit...

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2 1 Stableyard 10 Adventure Playground 2 Duchess’ 11 Woodland Gardens WC 3 West ( Garden) 12 4 East Parterre 13 Victorian Summerhouse 1 5 Long Wall Border 14 6 Shawl 15 Heather House + Goldsworthy arch 7 Low Garden 16 + pet cemetery 8 17 Victorian Bowling Green P 9 Larchwood Cabin MAIN ENTRANCE Gardens entrance Reception + tour booking Castle tearoom / Larchwood Cabin sales Electric car charging

Gift shop P Car parking WC Toilet facilities Drumlanrig Gardens

1 Formerly 19th century stabling, the Stableyard is now the centre of 6 The Shawl is the show piece of the formal gardens, Marr Burn. It is made of rustic larch and hazel wood and features an iron information and activity at Drumlanrig; including access to the visitor so called because in the 19th century the heather was hoop which represents a basket of flowers. Honeysuckle Lonicera and a centre, children’s activity room, snack bar Castle gift shop so intricately planted and finely trimmed by a team of climbing rose ‘Pauls Himalayan musk’ are trained around the hoop and the and . INTERNATIONAL Bicycle hire and plant sales are also available here. 30 . Today only the original sandstone beds ‘basket’ is filled with Lilium, Hosta and Helleborus species. remain. With just four gardeners now maintaining the 40 acres CONIFER CONSERVATION The Stableyard is an excellent place to relax with refreshments while of Drumlanrig, the beds are simplified in plant selection and maintenance. 14 The foundations of a Victorian Rock Garden lay hidden under scrub PROGRAMME taking in the archaic surroundings of Drumlanrig castle. Enter the gardens until 2005, when it was cleared to reveal the rocks and paths forming In collaboration with the Royal through the white door leading to ‘The Duchess’s garden.’ The beds are planted with herbaceous perennials for a lasting display the foundations of the garden. A wide scheme of planting has been of summer colour. Lady’s mantle Alchemilla mollis is planted in the corner undertaken here including alpines, shrubs and bulbs. A collection Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, The Duchess’ Garden is a combination of 2 beds in the shape of the Prince of Wales feather along with Sedum and of Meconopsis species line the paths. Other species include an acer Drumlanrig is one of over 100 established mixed shrub and herbaceous borders, Astilbe. The other four beds carry the Douglas heart (the family crest) collection providing startling autumn colour while scented Azalea and contributing landowners in the trees, , wall-trained , and a newly and are made up of Stachys lanata and infilled with Sedum and Astilbe. Rhododendron give colour in spring. UK providing a ‘safe site’ for the planted double border. Notable species of interest The inner beds include long flowering perennials such as Leucanthemum, ex-situ conservation of endangered include; a wall trained kolomikta vine Actinidia kolomikta, heavily scented Rudbeckia and Helenium. Across the Marr Burn is the site of an 18th century cascade. All that mock oranges Philadelphus sp., and a variety of Hydrangea species. remains of this magnificent feature is the gorge running down the hill conifer species from across the Over 600 spring-flowering and allium bulbs have recently been 7 The Low Garden is currently undergoing restoration. The outer beds where, if you look closely, you can still see the tiers where the water globe. The aim of the project added to the new border. are under experimental planting to decide future planting schemes would have run down in to the once canalised Marr Burn. is to collect seeds from the and are currently made up of Ligularia stenecophala, Hosta and four native stands and forests of the Note the 17th century yew trees Taxus baccata lining the path. These are The stone seat on the low ground behind the rock garden Astilbe beds around the central Yew. endangered conifer species and the oldest trees in the garden and can live well over 3,000 years. Every offers a welcome rest to take in some views of the plant them in safe sites across the part of the yew tree is poisonous to ingest except for the fleshy outer part 8 The Victorian Greenhouse was built in 1877 to house tender Castle and surrounding scenery. UK. Once the trees become seed- of the berries. and grow fruit and palms. The greenhouse is no longer heated 15 Another example of Victorian architecture, the Heather bearing, the seed can be collected and is used as winter protection for plants and growing on seedlings 3 The formal gardens are laid out in large , steep terraces and House is more elaborate in design than the summerhouse and and cuttings. Unfortunately, there is no access to the greenhouse and grown for re-introduction in supporting ramparts, which represent the large scale landscaping projects is the most ornate of all four summerhouses around the estate but the area contains a garden and area their native habitats. Sciadopitys throughout the gardens’ history. woodlands. Restored in 2003, it is constructed of rustic for growing for the Castle. verticillata umbrella pine, Juniperus timbers of larch, silver birch and hazel wood. Inside, the Each parterre is roughly an acre in size and the West Parterre, recurva Himalyan weeping juniper, various panels depict ancient heraldic symbols, the family crest or , follows the 19th century Victorian design; 9 The Larchwood Cabin. Sitting beside the Adventure and Picea omorika Serbian spruce and other mottos. The materials used include lime-soaked moss and although the plant selections have changed several times Playground, the cabin offers a relaxed atmosphere with heather. The floor is made of interlocking segments of larch wood. are just some of the species throughout the years. The garden now exhibits traditional and a variety of freshly prepared sandwiches, delicious soup, It gives beautiful views on to the Marr Burn waterfall. of endangered conifers being contemporary varieties of roses such as the strong scented cakes, snacks, ice cream and a range of cold and hot beverages. All will conserved at Drumlanrig gardens. Duchesse de Buccleuche, William Lobb, Felicia and Penelope. help you refuel before moving on to enjoy the playground activities or Look out for the large specimen Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii. Catmint Nepeta faassenii fills the half moon beds in favour explore the lower section of the Castle gardens and wider grounds. The seed was brought back by plant hunter David Douglas on one of the more traditional but less hardy Lavender. Four yews of his expeditions to the North American coast and then planted in are planted in the shape of the Castle turrets. 10 The Adventure Playground has plenty to keep children of all ages 1829 by his brother, John Douglas, who was master of works on entertained. With toddler swings, wooden tractor and rocking horse, the estate. It is one of the first Douglas firs planted in Britain. 4 The East Parterre was restored in 1978 by Jane, our youngest visitors will be thrilled. Meanwhile, older children can Duchess of Buccleuch, and follows a 1738 scroll pattern climb the 13m tower and scream if they want to go faster down the Also note the two specimen beech trees located close by. design from the Castle archives. Simplified in detail, 10m long tunnel slide. The copper beech Fagus sylvatica purpurea gives fantastic summer/ the garden is made up of Ilex Crenata, juniper, yew autumn colour and the weeping beech Fagus sylvatica pendula and cypress. 11 The extensive woodland gardens at Drumlanrig provide a wide range is one of the largest weeping beeches in Britain. of hidden features to explore. The legacy continues in the diversity of Those wishing to walk down to the waterfall only need to 5 The Long Wall Border, at over 280 metres long and 7 metres, tall is tree and shrub species planted throughout the woodlands. Many of these walk a little further to admire the Goldsworthy arch. Drumlanrig is unquestionably were collected as seed in some of the first plant hunting exhibitions a magnificent feature of the garden. Acting as a supporting rampart to Designed by internationally renowned artist Andy in Victorian Britain. a garden of history, heritage and the landscaped terrace, the wall plays host to a number of climbing Goldsworthy, the arch is made of local sandstone shrubs and wall trained trees from past and present. culture encapsulating the history There are also many recent additions of tree species adding again to and is said to represent a leaping salmon.

of in Scotland. Lucy Roscoe The south facing aspect allows the potential to grow half-hardy specimen the diversity and interest here. Drumlanrig also has a collection of over From origins in the 17th century climbers. Note the collection of Magnolia species, a fan-trained Ginkgo 500 Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and hybrids which bring stunning colour 16 The Bog Garden was created in 2005. The dominant species are to present day, Drumlanrig biloba (possibly one of the first trees planted against the wall), Eucryphia and scent. Swathes of bluebells carpet large areas of garden in spring, damp/shade loving species such as Gunnera manicata, Lysichiton x nymansensis, sprawling Clematis varieties, and American pillar roses. and daffodils, crocuses, and add more colour for early spring. americanus, Primula and Hosta species. Visitors in the spring can merits safeguarding for future In winter, thousands of snowdrops line the Victorian paths and expect a carpet of flowering primulas here. Note the pet cemetery; generations to treasure. pm gd Illustration: The Long Wall Border displays a wide variety of herbaceous perennials, the resting place for the family pets throughout the years. woodland floors. Design: shrubs and sub-shrubs including Kiregeshoma Stenocephala, Lobelia tupa, Agapanthus ‘Peter Pan’, and much more. 12 Created in 2010 the Winter Garden provides colour, scent and 17 It was fashionable in Victorian times for large country houses to have their own recreational facilities. Tennis and bowling were popular pursuits Note the large tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera located on the flat architecture for the winter months. Ghost-like Rubus stems look sheer and Drumlanrig has its own tennis court and bowling green. Developed ground at the top end of the wall. This tree was planted in 1875 white and contrast with the deep reds and yellows of the Cornus collection. in 1729, the Bowling Green has been out of use for many years and and bears tulip-like flowers in early summer. Native to North Witch hazel Hamamelis flowers give a burst of colour and Daphne and is now used for private functions. America, it is locally known as the canoe tree as it Viburnum also provide colour and scent for the otherwise dormant winter produces smooth grained wood which does not season. Note the iron tree Parrotia persica which has clusters of red Opposite a host of specimen trees can be observed. split easily. flowers in late winter/early spring and beautiful autumn foliage. Notable plantings include Quercus rubra (red oak) planted by Neil Armstrong in 1972. 13 A Victorian Summerhouse was very popular in gardens of that era, Drumlanrig Castle Thornhill Dumfries & Galloway DG3 4AQ and provides a welcome stop to rest and take in the views of the Tel: 01848 331 555 Email: [email protected] WWW.DRUMLANRIGCASTLE.CO.UK