Gardens for viewing, tending and education are prolific throughout all of Britain. Inexhaustible choices exist for the enthusiast to enjoy throughout the calendar year. The blooms and aromas change along with the season and locations, Japanese gardens, Royal gardens, topiary, water, wildlife and woodland gardens. Finding them is not difficult, choosing one for the day may be. Perhaps gardening is not an affair for your family, however, many lovely gardens throughout the British Isles do boast plenty of youth activities, without spoiling it for everyone else. Some will have trails or adjacent museums, others may have play areas or animals for delighting children.

Hever Castle & Gardens is the perfect setting for horticultural lovers whether alone, with friends or family. More than 20,000 spring bulbs and 15,000 bedding plants are planted in the gardens annually guaranteeing you a breath- taking display no matter what time of year you visit. For history lovers this castle in Kent is a great place to learn about the Tudors. Spend the day admiring the interiors and historic elements as well as the awesome grounds with statues and a variety of ornamental gardens laced throughout the 125-acre grounds. There is an adventure playground, complete with Water Maze and the 100 year old Yew Maze, miniature model houses and a beautiful lake to take a boat ride on or stroll around. Practice archery, paint a shield, watch a jousting event or marvel at the giant topiary chess set. Festivals and events are scheduled throughout the year including a Rose Festival. It’s no wonder with 4,000 rose bushes in the English Rose Garden and its own ‘Hever Castle Rose’ which was launched by Dame Judi Dench, the award- winning British actress, in 2011. The signature rose produces velvety deep-red blooms which fade to cerise, offset by golden-yellow stamens and has proven resistant to disease in rose trials. Be sure and see it if you visit between May and October its long blooming season.

Everything that you need to fuel your own appetite for gardening is present at The Chelsea Flower Show held by the Royal Horticultural Society and the most famous garden show in Britain, if not the world. For five days in May walk the grounds of the Royal Hospital and witness their transformation into a festival of flowers, festoons and fragrance that attracts over 150,000 visitors from all over the globe. Indulge in the display gardens by some of the most prestigious garden designers of this generation and marvel at the plantings. The Great Pavillion is roughly 11,775 square metres or 2.90 acres, enough room to park 500 London buses and serves an exhibition of almost everything that blooms and thrives in Britain. More than 100 nurseries will be present and flower arranging displays are held daily during the Show.

Community gardens provide fresh produce and plants as well as another opportunity for getting physically, socially, environmentally active this spring. Culpeper Community Garden in Islington, London, Redhall Walled Garden on the west side of Edinburgh, and Camden’s Phoenix Garden support the premise that gardening has therapeutic benefits. People from all walks of life come to these spaces to improve their lives and their environment and for respite from urban stress.

All details for this year’s event were not yet in at the time of printing, but Open Garden Squares Weekend in June bears witness to around 200 gardens, including some private, opening their doors to the public, with no scaling of walls or entries required. The lineup includes traditional private squares, contemporary roof gardens, as well as skips, barges, museums, schools and allotments. Unfortunately, this year 10 Downing Street will not be accessible. Bummer.

Further information: www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk www.rhs.org.uk

Article by Kimberley Mueller; Image: Kent Countryside image www.size-isnt-everything.co.uk

By Yvonne Willcocks

You can’t travel far in Scotland without seeing a golf course. There are 550 so far – and counting. New courses are being constructed, often close to existing ones. Many of the famous big- name courses offer a wide variety of facilities. In addition to top-rate accommodation and dining there are swimming pools, spas and athletic training rooms. The variety of Scotland’s landscape, especially its extensive sea coast, creates exciting playing conditions and stunning panoramic views. But if you have a love for exploration many of the smaller courses come up with delightful surprises.

One of our prettiest local courses is set between the Fife Coastal Path and the broad waters of the Firth of Forth at Aberdour, one of the string of picturesque old fishing villages along the south coast of Fife. The panoramic view across the Firth of Forth takes in the Forth Bridges to the west, the island of Inchcolm with its tiny ruined abbey, to the City of Edinburgh and Holyrood Palace on the far shore, protected by the heights and crags of Arthur’s Seat to the east. If you can take your eyes off the views, which change with every shot, you will find the course a testing one.

Our local club in Dunfermline has a winding approach road that leads through the course to the imposing cream-rendered castle-mansion of Pitfirrane House, previously the home of the Halketts (pronounced Hakkett) from the 16th century. Up a wide stone spiral staircase is the dining room with magnificent wood panelling and a painted ceiling decorated with the family’s coat of arms, and crest, a hawk – the Halkett family were Royal Hawkers to King James I/VI.

The Dunfermline Golf Club also has the distinction of introducing the game ‘across the pond’ in 1888 when two of its members, John Reid and Robert Lockhart, set out a short course of three holes in an apple orchard in Yonkers, New York. Initially known as the “Apple Tree Gang”, it was formally organised in the same year and named, ”St. Andrew’s” (with an apostrophe) as a tribute to the cradle of the game in Scotland.

The historic university town of St. Andrews, at the eastern end of the“Kingdom of Fife”, is a delightful setting for the world-famous St Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club, which is acknowledged as the birthplace of the game as it is played today, and boasts the first Ladies’ golf club in the world in 1867.

Regarding the ‘Ancient’ in the title, there is documentary evidence from1552 confirming that golf, as well as other games, was played on the links at that time, but it was not until 1754 that a club was formed. The ‘Royal’ title was added in 1836 when King William IV became Patron, and six members of the royal family have since captained the Club. In 1863, the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, was the first Royal Captain, followed in 1876 by his brother Prince Leopold. King Edward VIII was an ardent golfer and in 1922 became Captain of the Club, being followed by his brother, later King George VI. In 1937, the Duke of Kent became Captain and was followed in 2004 by Prince Andrew, the present Duke of Kent.

The almost legendry ‘Old Tom Morris’ laid out the original course, and many others too. St Andrews boasts eight courses including the famous ‘Old Course’, right in front of the imposing Club House. Right now they are gearing up for the Open Championship taking place from 16-19th July this year.The British Golf Museum, just across the road, has been totally refurbished in time for this important event.

Moving north, across the River Tay and to the east of Dundee, is the famous Carnoustie Golf Club, constituted in 1842. Members of Carnoustie are proud of having helped to develop golf in fourteen countries around the world. Like so many Scottish courses, it is sited right on the coast. In fine weather the views are inspiring, although there are times when the weather off the North Sea is ‘challenging’, but that brings out a real golfers’ skill!

Further to the north, past Aberdeen, is the much publicised Trump Golf Links, also right on the North Sea Coast, and offering a testing course through the sand dunes. Another Trump enterprise is the famous Turnberry Club on Scotland’s south-west coast in Ayrshire. This resort complex is situated next to an old lighthouse on the Forth of Clyde, with a stunning vista across the sea to Ailsa Craig, the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre – as well as the coast of Northern Ireland, on a good day.

In Central Scotland, between Stirling and Perth, there is a scenic way through the Ochil Hills called “Glen Eagles”. Way back in 1910, the General Manager of the Caledonian Railway Company was so impressed by the site that he decided to build a Grand Hotel where his“rail guests will travel on our trains, stay in our hotel, to play golf on our courses.”While the Hotel was being built, the great James Braid designed and built the King’s and Queen’s Courses utilising the natural complexities of the ground to make a fascinating challenge for the players. The First World War delayed completion but both courses were opened in 1919 and Gleneagles flourished until 1939 when the hotel became a military hospital.

Since the end of World War II major changes have taken place, and Gleneagles, was the venue for the Ryder Cup in 2014. The PGA Golf Academy is now established at Gleneagles, and the addition of a top-ranking restaurant, conference facilities and a luxurious spa have expanded the hotel’s appeal, but it is the range of sporting and other leisure activities that is mind-boggling: equestrian school, falconry, fishing, shooting and gun-dog school, archery, wildlife photography, cycling, off-road driving, and even indoor tennis!

Beat that for entertainment!

A Letter From Scotland

From Yvonne Willcocks

Wha-hey” as Robert Burns might have said, there are lots of snowdrops everywhere! That means Spring is on the way! Soon there will be daffodils, and then bluebells, and then tree blossoms, and before you can say Jack Robin, we will be sunbathing! Maybe I sound optimistic but the weather in Scotland has not been at all bad this winter. I should really only speak for my area, Dunfermline in Fife, as there certainly have been snow problems in the Mountains.

I have lived in Dunfermline for nearly eleven years and at first it seemed rather small after over thirty years in London, and before that New York City, Zurich, Antwerp and The Hague, where I was born in Wassenaar. But it quickly grows on you and we are very happy here. One reason that brought us here was that my younger daughter got married and has two of our lovely grandchildren. Meanwhile my elder daughter also had two children and lives in the south of England, which means that we trek happily back and forth.

Edinburgh is about 30 minutes away from Dunfermline by car (or rail), over the Forth Road Bridge. Next year the new “Queensferry Bridge” will be completed, making a trio with the iconic Forth Rail Bridge which has just celebrated its 125th anniversary. Of course almost everybody knows about Edinburgh, but we have found that Dunfermline is a great place to live, and we love its royal and ancient history.

Its origins go back to King Malcolm III who defeated Macbeth and married Margaret, a Saxon princess fleeing from William the Conqueror of England. The pious Queen Margaret was later canonised and her son David built a Benedictine Abbey on the hillside which must have been a wonderful sight to the pilgrims who visited her shrine. Malcolm’s dynasty reigned for over 200 years when Edward I of England tried to subdue Scotland, but finally Robert the Bruce triumphed. His grave is in Dunfermline’s Church. Much of the Abbey was destroyed by zealous Protestants during the Reformation in 1560. However, the magnificent Romanesque nave survived as the parish church, and in 1824 a new church was added.

From its earliest days Dunfermline was the seat of Royalty and a Palace was built next to the Abbey for the family and for visitors. Both Robert the Bruce and Edward I lived here (but not at the same time!). James VI lived in the Palace, and Charles I was born here. When Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, James and his Court moved to London. After this the Palace soon decayed and now only one magnificent wall remains.

Not to be missed in Dunfermline is Abbot House (or “The Pink Hoose” as locals call it) just across the ancient Graveyard. Dating from the Abbey’s heyday, it is both a museum and a café. You must try their home-baked scones and cakes! It was probably not the Abbot’s home but it has had many uses in its time. Lady Anne Halkett (Hackett), a teacher, herbalist and midwife, lived here for many years following an exciting life at the Stewart Royal Court in London. In the 1990’s the house was carefully renovated, the café installed in the barrel-vaulted lower rooms while the upstairs chambers displayed Dunfermline’s history and its notable residents. Taking tea in the herb garden over-looking the Abbey is delightful.

Pittencrieff Park, known locally as “The Glen”, was once a royal hunting ground below the great monastery. The name “Dunfermline” is said to derive from a hill with a tower, surrounded by a winding ‘burn’. Although the tower has been reduced to its foundations, it still sits on a rocky outcrop making a loop in the stream at its base as it flows gently through the deep, tree-covered valley. To the west is a landscaped park which was owned by a succession of landowners. One notable laird was General John Forbes whose home was Pittencrieff House, an imposing orangecoloured, lime-coated building overlooking the Burn and with commanding views of the Park. Forbes was the general who, in 1758, engineered the successful 300-mile trail through Pennsylvania to take Fort Duquesne from the French - with the aid of a young George Washington. Forbes named the captured settlement Pittsburg in honour of William Pitt, the Prime Minister, and it is where Carnegie made his millions. Later owners of the Park have landscaped the grounds and added features like the ‘Laird’s Garden’ and the tropical greenhouses.

Andrew Carnegie was born in 1835 in a tiny cottage in Dunfermline near the Park, and the story goes that when ‘Andra’ was young, radical members of his family fell out with the owners of the Park and his family was banned from coming there. The great philanthropist got his own back when he returned as the richest man in the world. He bought the whole place and ‘gifted Pittencrieff Park to the people of Dunfermline for ever’. The cottage has since been expanded into a museum of the great man’s life and achievements, and it is well worth a visit.

The ancient county of Fife is surrounded by the sea on three sides with a succession of charming old fishing villages. During the last few years a scheme to construct the Fife Coastal Path, a continuous footpath all round the coast, has been completed. We particularly enjoy a section of the path around the little port of Aberdour, past its golf course, between fields to a ruined church where we sit and look out across the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh and “Arthur’s Seat”, the volcanic hill on the far side of the city.

Scotland is a great place for walkers and recently the availability of distance-walking, or ‘pilgrimage’ has become a topical issue highlighted by the revival of the European pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. It’s not just for religious pilgrimages, although that is reviving, but health pilgrimage is increasing, and cultural history pilgrimages are popular. People are realising that sights and folks met along the way are just as important as arriving at their destination. With local and national support, Scottish Pilgrim Routes Forum is planning off-road routes across the country. Scotland has its own saints including St. Columba, St. Kentigern and St. Andrew. Dunfermline’s own St Margaret will feature in a re-created Fife Pilgrim Way across the county to St Andrews.