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Home , Bog garden, David Douglas (botanist)

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 12 architecture. Presently the gardens follow a Victorian style mixed with modern planting designs. We hope you enjoy your visit...

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

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, 13 The foundations of a Victorian Rock Garden lay hidden under scrub information and activity at Drumlanrig; including access to the visitor so called because in the 19th century the heather was until 2005, when it was cleared to reveal the rocks and paths forming centre, children’s activity room, snack bar Castle gift shop and . so intricately planted and finely trimmed by a team of the foundations of the garden. A wide scheme of planting has been INTERNATIONAL Bicycle hire and sales are also available here. 30 . Today only the original sandstone beds undertaken here including alpines, and bulbs. A collection CONSERVATION remain. With just four gardeners now maintaining the 40 acres of Meconopsis species line the paths. Other species include an acer The Stableyard is an excellent place to relax with refreshments while of Drumlanrig, the beds are simplified in plant selection and maintenance. collection providing startling autumn colour while scented Azalea and PROGRAMME taking in the archaic surroundings of Drumlanrig castle. Enter the gardens Rhododendron give colour in spring. through the white door leading to ‘The Duchess’s garden.’ The beds are planted with herbaceous perennials for a lasting display In collaboration with the Royal of summer colour. Lady’s mantle Alchemilla mollis is planted in the corner Across the Marr Burn is the site of an 18th century cascade. All that Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, 2 The Duchess’ Garden is a combination of beds in the shape of the Prince of Wales feather along with Sedum and remains of this magnificent feature is the gorge running down the hill Drumlanrig is one of over 100 established mixed and herbaceous borders, Astilbe. The other four beds carry the Douglas heart (the family crest) where, if you look closely, you can still see the tiers where the water contributing landowners in the fruit trees, herbs, wall-trained roses, and a newly and are made up of Stachys lanata and infilled withSedum and Astilbe. would have run down in to the once canalised Marr Burn. UK providing a ‘safe site’ for the planted double border. Notable species of interest The inner beds include long flowering perennials such asLeucanthemum , The stone seat on the low ground behind the rock garden ex-situ conservation of endangered include; a wall trained kolomikta vine Actinidia kolomikta, heavily scented Rudbeckia and Helenium. mock oranges Philadelphus sp., and a variety of Hydrangea species. offers a welcome rest to take in some views of the conifer species from across the Over 600 spring-flowering tulip and allium bulbs have recently been 7 The Low Garden is currently undergoing restoration. The outer beds Castle and surrounding scenery. globe. The aim of the project added to the new border. are under experimental planting to decide future planting schemes is to collect seeds from the 14 Another example of Victorian architecture, the Heather House 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 is more elaborate in design than the summerhouse and is 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 part the most ornate of all four summerhouses around the estate plant them in safe sites across the of the yew tree is poisonous to ingest except for the fleshy outer part of 8 The Victorian Greenhouse was built in 1877 to house tender woodlands. Restored in 2003, it is constructed of rustic UK. Once the trees become seed- the berries. and grow fruit and palms. The greenhouse is no longer heated timbers of larch, silver birch and hazel wood. Inside, the bearing, the seed can be collected and is used as winter protection for plants and growing various panels depict ancient heraldic symbols, the family crest 3 The formal gardens are layed out in large , steep terraces and on seedlings and cuttings. There is limited access to and other mottos. The materials used include lime-soaked moss and and grown for re-introduction in supporting ramparts, which represent the large scale landscaping projects the greenhouse but the area also contains a sundial heather. The floor is made of interlocking segments of larch wood. their native . Sciadopitys throughout the gardens’ history. garden, vegetable garden and area for growing It gives beautiful views on to the Marr Burn waterfall. verticillata umbrella pine, Juniperus Each parterre is roughly an acre in size and the West Parterre, cut flowers for the castle. Look out for the large specimen menziesii. recurva Himalyan weeping juniper, or Rose Garden, follows the 19th century Victorian design; The seed was brought back by plant hunter David Douglas on one and Picea omorika Serbian spruce 9 The Adventure Playground has plenty to keep children of all ages although the plant selections have changed several times of his expeditions to the North American coast and then planted in are just some of the species entertained. With toddler swings, wooden tractor and rocking horse, throughout the years. The garden now exhibits traditional and 1829 by his brother, John Douglas, who was master of works on of endangered being our youngest visitors will be thrilled. Meanwhile, older children can contemporary varieties of roses such as the strong scented the estate. It is one of the first Douglas firs planted in Britain. conserved at Drumlanrig gardens. Duchesse de Buccleuche, , Felicia and Penelope. climb the 13m tower and scream if they want to go faster down the Catmint Nepeta faassenii fills the half moon beds in favour 10m long tunnel slide. Also note the two specimen beech trees located close by. of the more traditional but less hardy Lavender. Four topiary yews The copper beech Fagus sylvatica purpurea gives fantastic summer/ 10 The extensive woodland gardens at Drumlanrig provide a wide range are planted in the shape of the Castle turrets. autumn colour and the weeping beech Fagus sylvatica pendula of hidden features to explore. The legacy continues in the diversity of is one of the largest weeping beeches in Britain. 4 The East Parterre was restored in 1978 by Jane, tree and shrub species planted throughout the woodlands. Many of these Those wishing to walk down to the waterfall only need to Duchess of Buccleuch, and follows a 1738 scroll pattern were collected as seed in some of the first plant hunting exhibitions walk a little further to admire the Goldsworthy arch. design from the Castle archives. Simplified in detail, the in Victorian Britain. Designed by internationally renowned artist Andy garden is made up of box hedging Buxus sempervirens, There are also many recent additions of tree species adding again to Goldsworthy, the arch is made of local sandstone juniper, yew and cypress. the diversity and interest here. Drumlanrig also has a collection of over and is said to represent a leaping salmon. 500 Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and hybrids which bring stunning colour 5 The Long Wall Border, at over 280 metres long and 7 metres, tall is and scent. Swathes of bluebells carpet large areas of garden in spring, 15 The Bog Garden was created in 2005. The dominant species are Drumlanrig is unquestionably a magnificent feature of the garden. Acting as a supporting rampart to and daffodils, crocuses, and tulips add more colour for early spring. damp/shade loving species such as Gunnera manicata, Lysichiton the landscaped terrace, the wall plays host to a number of climbing a garden of history, heritage and In winter, thousands of snowdrops line the Victorian paths and americanus, Primula and Hosta species. Visitors in the spring can shrubs and wall trained trees from past and present. culture encapsulating the history woodland floors. expect a carpet of flowering primulas here. Note thepet cemetery;

of in Scotland. Lucy Roscoe The south facing aspect allows the potential to grow half-hardy specimen the resting place for the family pets throughout the years. From origins in the 17th century climbers. Note the collection of Magnolia species, a fan-trained Ginkgo 11 Created in 2010 the Winter Garden provides colour, scent and

to present day, Drumlanrig Illustration: biloba (possibly one of the first trees planted against the wall),Eucryphia architecture for the winter months. Ghost-like Rubus stems look sheer 16 It was fashionable in Victorian times for large country houses to have

x nymansensis, sprawling Clematis varieties, and American pillar roses. white and contrast with the deep reds and yellows of the Cornus collection. their own recreational facilities. Tennis and bowling were popular pursuits merits safeguarding for future gd Witch hazel Hamamelis flowers give a burst of colour andDaphne and and Drumlanrig has its own tennis court and bowling green. Developed generations to treasure. pm The Long Wall Border displays a wide variety of herbaceous perennials, in 1729, the Bowling Green has been out of use for many years and

Viburnum also provide colour and scent for the otherwise dormant winter Design: shrubs and sub-shrubs including Kirengishoma palmata, Lobelia tupa, season. Note the iron tree Parrotia persica which has clusters of red is now used for private functions. Agapanthus ‘Peter Pan’, and much more. flowers in late winter/early spring and beautiful autumn foliage. Opposite a host of specimen trees can be observed. Note the large tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera located on the flat Notable plantings include Quercus rubra (red oak) 12 A Victorian Summerhouse was very popular in gardens of that era, ground at the top end of the wall. This tree was planted in 1875 planted by Neil Armstrong in 1972. and provides a welcome stop to rest and take in the views of the Marr and bears tulip-like flowers in early summer. Native to North Burn. It is made of rustic larch and hazel wood and features an iron hoop America, it is locally known as the canoe tree as it produces which represents a basket of flowers. Honeysuckle Lonicera and a smooth grained wood which does not split easily. climbing rose ‘Pauls Himalayan musk’ are trained around the hoop and the ‘basket’ is filled withLilium , Hosta and Helleborus species. Drumlanrig Castle Thornhill Dumfries & Galloway DG3 4AQ Tel: 01848 331 555 Email: [email protected] WWW.DRUMLANRIGCASTLE.CO.UK