Falkland Study Day Visit
Falkland Palace and Estate SGLH visit Saturday 14th September 2019
In the morning we enjoyed lectures by Marietta Crichton Stewart, on the story of Falkland Estate’s gardens and landscape from 1820 to present. We learned about the remodelling of the estate’s Maspie Burn, the Picturesque Tunnel, and the 1.8 million trees planted in the early 19th Century in the Falkland estate, and changes whilst under the stewardship of the 3rd Marquis of Bute.
Following a lunch eating and drinking produce organically grown on the estate, we enjoyed a walk and talk by Susan Thores, Head Gardener, where we learnt about the recent restoration of the Percy Cane Mid-Century re-design of the Palace Gardens. Here we learned about the challenges facing the restoration of the Percy Cane garden, which had in part been re-planted by former Head Gardener at Falkland Bill Jenkins, who was described as ‘a tremendous worker, but opinionated, when told to do something, he often did the opposite’.
An illustrated talk on the Percy Cane garden by Susan Thores, was followed by a guided walk through part of the estate’s designed landscape led by Peter Burman to finish off a most informative and enjoyable visit to Falkland estate.