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The stunning beauty of the landscapes are only rivalled by some wonderful gardens and garden centres liberally sprinkled around us.
Auchgourish
Auchgourish Gardens is located in Strath Spey, at the heart of the Cairngorm Mountains, in the Scottish Highlands. Scotland's newest Botanic Garden & Arboretum opened in June 2001 - the Real Millennium!
Located on the B970 public road from Boat of Garten to Aviemore.
The Gardens & Arboretum are continuing to be developed: Phase One is completed - this first Phase contains a Winter Garden with extensive rockeries, a Japanese Garden, as well as Himalayan and Chinese areas. Phase Two has been started and includes a Korean area, a Scottish area and a St. Andrew's Garden in which the plants are mostly white/silver and blue to commemorate our National flag - St. Andrew's Cross.
Cawdor Castle
Cawdor is fortunate to have three gardens. The Walled Garden is the oldest and dates from c.1600 and later became a kitchen garden. The Flower Garden was laid out some 100 years later and was originally designed for enjoyment in late summer and autumn. However this garden's season has been extended to give pleasure from early spring, with bulbs, bedding plants, herbaceous borders, ornamental trees and shrubs all providing delight. The Wild Garden is the youngest, being planted in the 1960's and lies between the Castle and the stream of the Cawdor Burn.
Vistors express surprise that the gardens grow so well, situated as Cawdor is, in a latitude that is geographically north of Moscow, although politically somewhat to the right. The answer is a combination of reasons: the soil is fertile; the climate is tempered by the Gulf stream; the rain-fall, at around 625mm (24 inches) is well distributed through the year; at midsummer there can be 18 hours of sunshine daily; and of course, not least, there is head gardener, Mr. Derek Hosie who is quite excellent. Like good cooks, good gardeners are temperamental people and this seems always to have been the case; it is set down that as long ago as 1679 that a new gardener having agreed to come to Cawdor, suddenly refused to go north 'on any account.' Perhaps he thought of the winters.
The Big Wood at Cawdor is a must see and still contains the remnants of the classic dry Oakwood including Birch, Aspen, Rowan, Wych Elm, Holly and Juniper. Scots Pine, Oak and Beech are well represented within the wood. The Beech, while not native to the area, support some of the rare lichens.
Speyside Heather Garden
Halfway between Grantown-on-Spey and the Boat of Garten is the multi-award winning Speyside Heather Garden and Visitor Centre at Skye of Curr, Dulnain Bridge. See over 300 varieties of heather in the garden, visit the exhibition on the many uses of the plant, buy some to take home, shop for crafts, jewellery, clothes, garden produce. Restaurant (the famous Scottish Clootie Dumpling pudding is a speciality here). Open daily from 1 March to 31 October. Slightly reduced opening times during the winter. Visited by 80,000 people a year.
Inshriach Alpine Plant Nursery
Scotland's premier Alpine Plant Nursery specialist is located 4 miles south of Aviemore on the B970. It is open to visitors from 9am - 5pm daily from mid February to mid November. Walk around the gardens and purchase some of the thousands of plants on display. Mail order catalogues are available too.
Revack Estate
Located on the B970 road between Grantown-on-Spey and Nethy Bridge, Revack Lodge was built as a shooting lodge some time around 1860. Today you can visit parts of the 15,000-acre estate where there are nature trails, adventure playground, plant centre and garden (orchids a speciality), restaurant and gift shop. Open all year from 10 am to 6 pm. Free entry.
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