Category: Edinburgh

The Friendliest art gallery in the world....

7/28/2015

Exploring Jupiter Artland near Edinburgh

A truly amazing visit to Jupiter Artland..... A unique cross between Art and Horticulture....it's really quite amazing. Myself and the kids had a blast exploring the woodland, the art, the wildflower, the wildlife, the land sculptures....everything!! Founded by Robert and Nicky Wilson, Jupiter Artland is a collection of contemporary outdoor sculpture located across 100 acres of woodland and meadows just outside Edinburgh.

You have to visit....its amazing!!!!

Exploring Jupiter Artland near Edinburgh

Jupiter Artland is a unique, award-winning sculpture collection 12 miles outside Edinburgh, housing the private art collection of Robert and Nicky Wilson across 100 acres of woodland and meadows. Jupiter Artland is a registered charity, committed to nurturing the work of outstanding contemporary artists and continuing to commission new site specific works. Jupiter Artland opened to the public in May 2009 and in the same year received the prestigious Glenfiddich ‘Spirit of Scotland’ Art Award. Since 2009, Jupiter has commissioned over 30 site-specific permanent works by top-class international artists, including major pieces by leading contemporary sculptors including Nathan Coley, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Laura Ford, Anya Gallaccio, Andy Goldsworthy, Antony Gormley, Charles Jencks, Anish Kapoor, Jim Lambie, Cornelia Parker and Marc Quinn. Each artwork’s specific site has been personally selected by the artist. The works are set within the gardens of Bonnington House, a 17th century Jacobean hunting lodge, and visitors are encouraged to walk freely through the gardens to discover the artworks at their own pace

Exploring Jupiter Artland near Edinburgh

Every penny from Jupiter Artland’s ticket sales goes to providing free educational access and resources to schools, universities and community groups across the UK. The Foundation’s mission is for every child in Scotland to experience the art and nature of Jupiter Artland - either through a visit with hands-on activity or through Jupiter Artland’s pioneering digital projects. Since it was established in 2009, over 20,000 people have benefited from Jupiter’s innovative educational courses and workshops. New projects for 2015 include: Poet in Residence writing courses and competition, Arts and Music for people living with dementia, CPD courses for teachers, Minecraft student led project, and Children’s Exhibition at Jupiter. New partnerships for 2015 include Arts Award, It’s Our World, BBC Get Creative, and Forest School Association.

For more information on this wonderful family attraction then please visit the website of Jupiter Artland.

Some back reading on the Jupiter Artland grounds can be seen here from a feature piece from the FT , Art in Scotland TV, BMW Art Guide visits Jupiter Artland, Tate Shots Edinburgh Jupiter Artland

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Princes Street Gardens....

7/28/2015

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Edinburgh Castle from Princes Street Gardens

Such a wonderful historic space, Princes Street Gardens is a lesson in high amenity landscape layout, sweeping rose gardens, statues specimen trees....and ice cream!

Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens

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Summer visit to Craigies Farm

7/15/2015

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Pick your own eggs in Craigies Farm

Every time we return to Scotland a must-stop for us as a family is the fabulous Craigies Farm, located in Kirkliston Nr Edinburgh. .Its a truly fantastic family destination, from the pick-your-own to touring around the farm animals, the playground, the cafe, the shop....my kids love spending a few hours there.

If you don't have time to PYO, they have tubs of freshly picked fruit in Craigies Farm

Snoozy pigs in Craigies Farm

Map highlighting the trails in Craigies Farm

Always a good motto! in Craigies Farm

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Oxenfoord Castle School and Walled Garden, Pathhead

6/2/2015

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Oxenfoord Castle School and Walled Garden, Pathhead 1950

Aerial view of the walled kitchen garden of Oxenfoord castle school, from 1950. A Robert Adam designed country home built in 1780, and now a luxurious wedding venue. Oxenfoord Castle.

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Snowdrops of Norton House Hotel

2/22/2015

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Galanthus nivalis in Norton House

Build around 1830 Norton House has operated as a Hotel since the 1970's, and is now part of the Hand Picked Hotel chain of hotels, Norton House Hotel & Spa Edinburgh, once owned by the famous Usher family from Edinburgh.

Located in the woodlands opposite the GateHouse to the West of the Country Mansion is a most wonderful display of naturalising Galanthus nivalis, common snowdrops, these cover a sizeable area and are joyous in their beauty.

Common snowdrops naturalising in Norton House

Snowdrops in Norton House Hotel

The document below gives a complete report of the Norton House grounds, carried out by the City of Edinburgh Council in 2007 as part of a survey of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in the area...

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Malleny Gardens in Balerno, Nr Edinburgh

8/5/2014

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Recently I spent a really enjoyable afternoon with my dear mother visiting the stunning walled garden at Malleny house, in Balerno, just outside of Edinburgh. Malleny gardens are under the National Trust of Scotland control and they are a magical spot, full of desirable roses, and lush planting, its written that many of these rose varieties were propagated from specimens grown in Newliston House, near Kirkliston.

The Garden is presented to the public in fabulous condition and was a lovely 2 hour visit.

The slideshow below gives a selection of the images from my visit, but the pictures don't do the colour or the scents of the garden must justice...definitely a garden to go and visit...and smell!!

More details can be found on the Historic Gardens and Landscapes of Scotland inventory

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Dalmeny House Estate...Nr South Queensferry

8/31/2012

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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....

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Suntrap Gardens, Gogar, Nr Edinburgh

8/31/2012

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entrance

August was holiday time, and when on holidays I love to visit new gardens or re-visit gardens I've not been to in years, so I decided to call up to Suntrap Gardens in Edinburgh. I've not been to Suntrap in years, not since I did evening classes in Garden Design many years ago and it was with sadness I heard that it was being closed/Sold....so I took a dander up and took a heap of pics...you can read more about the suntrap gardens and their fight for survival here

great planting

old beetle made 'green'

lower part of the gardens

climbing hydrangea on shady wall

lovely vine greets you from the walk to the first courtyard

the first courtyard, double doors out from classroom...idyllic!!

the next courtyard area...inspiring

laburnum archway leading up to woodland walk

woodland walkway

the vegetable garden area, used for training

A reminder that the gardens, grounds, plant centre are all ran with the help of volunteers, an amazing achievement. The gardens used to have students from Oatridge Agricultural College come down and they used to use Suntrap as a training facility but , i think, due to cutbacks the college no longer offers support to the gardens, a real shame in my eyes, there is lots of facilities in Suntrap going unusued due to this...such as large commercial heated greenhouses etc etc...but maybe an increase in useage could see these re-used in the future??

the plant sales area...buy what you see growing in the gardens!!

greenhouse made from old plastic bottles in the kitchen garden area

large leaved ivy used as a cascading plant

paths leading everwhere!! *explore*

another courtyard, this time a formal lawn area

unused heated benches in one of the greenhouses, real shame

unusued shade frames

long pergola covered pathway....

more unused small greenhouses...

one side formal hedgrow, other top trained variated holly underplanted with ferns...class

the range of plants, the range of habitats, the range of themes, the range of settings on offer on such a small space is inspiring....there are plants everywhere...granted there not labelled like in the botanical gardens but i'm guessing there must be well over 4000 varieties of plants on show in Suntrap...maybe someone out there knows??

and the way the volunteers are able to maintain the gardens so well is a tribute to their detication....I only wish something like this existed in Donegal/Derry....or maybe this is what we need to be trying to create?

commercial heated greenhouse...lying unused

rockery gardens...

just wonderful

planting inspiration everywhere

Will the gates of Suntrap Gardens stay open or remain closed? the friends of Suntrap are doing their best to keep the gardens opened, all details are on their website above. I know as much, if I was within distance i'd be down volunteering, helpign to raise the profile, bringing groups in....but its up tot he folks of west lothian and edinburgh to decide whethere an idyllic inspiring horticultural training facility should be kept open or closed....

(I

To the Friends of Suntrap.....I salute you!!

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The Friendliest art gallery in the world....

Princes Street Gardens....

Summer visit to Craigies Farm

Oxenfoord Castle School and Walled Garden, Pathhead

Snowdrops of Norton House Hotel

Malleny Gardens in Balerno, Nr Edinburgh

Dalmeny House Estate...Nr South Queensferry

Suntrap Gardens, Gogar, Nr Edinburgh

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