Scotland’s Garden and Landscape Heritage

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Falkland Study Day Visit

Nov 4, 2019

Falkland Palace and Estate SGLH visit Saturday 14th September 2019

SGLH members and guests enjoyed lectures in Falkland House by Marietta Crichton Stuart, trustee, Peter Burman and Susan Thores, Head Gardener, who also led a guided walk around Falkland Palace grounds.

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.

The second lecture of the morning was given by Peter Burman, former SGLH Chair, and Chair of Falkland Stewardship Trust, on how John Ruskin, who advocated sound stewardship of the earth’s resources and sharing the cultural and natural heritage with everyone, has informed the approach at Falkland estate. We learned about Ruskin’s garden paradise, Brantwood, on Coniston Water in the Lake District.

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.