Front of the mansion Dalmeny House is some pad....thats clear to see....but its not the house I came to see, its the grounds which are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland...a treat of Parkland planting with some immense perennial borders....so me and wee Gracie went for a dander...you can read more about the House and its history here
 the mile odd long drive up to the house was packed with traffic lol |  Pheasants everywhere on the drive and through the parkland |  this pic shows the size of the trees on the estate, just huge! |  the view from the front door over the golf course |  looking left from the front door, over towards Crammond and then Port of Leith in the background |
The Dalmeny estate is open to all the wind howling up the Firth of Forth and many of the trees show obvious signs of this, to allow for planting a large area (to the left of the house) has been developed with thicker planting, allowing for creation of a lovely walkway surrounded by lush planting with a neat clipped lawn in the centre
 left hand gable of the mansion |  cool blues.... |  sweeping perennial borders |  walkway crying out to be explored... |  simple centrepiece planter full of helicrysum in middle of lawn |
Wee gracie (well wrapped up for the scottish summer) was getting too comfy...looking for a seat in the garden..so we left the enclosed garden and walked around the East side of the house, out to admire some of the parkland planting...
 view towards the house from the East...some impressive trees! |  some seriously big beech trees |  some impressive copper beech make up the woodland area |  specimen trees dotted around the parkland |  large trees with crammond isle in the background |
Some of the signage makes it clear that is this in a Private House, but you always get the feeling that if you wished you'd be excused for exploring the woodlands and trails more. It's also clear that the Estate is still very much alive, we were passed by 2 massive John Deere tractors and a good few jeeps, the Estates office had people buzzing about it and there was some drainage work going on to the rear of the mansion...
 I love gates liek this....crying out for old paths to be explored and re-discovered...but |  wee gracie was by this time back in the stroller....her wee legs tired from the walking from the house around th egardens and the east parklands...so we weren't able to get the stroler up the paths |
Many of the trees come from 1788-1812 so they are massive....like this pine tree....and factoring in the exposure the plants get from the wind blasting up the Firth of Forth they would be ever taller if they were more sheltered...
iconic bronze sculpture of a Horse standing on the grass in front of the house looking up the Firth of Forth....If you nearby call into Dalmeny House...well worth a trip....I know I've lots more to see in it too....
