Where History Blooms

Glamis Castle's gardens offer a serene escape shaped by centuries of cultivation and care

- by SIAN DOLAN

IT'S a typically bright Scottish summer morning as I edge the car through the grand, gold-tipped Queen Mother's memorial gates at the entrance to Glamis Castle.

The sun's shining in the sky and the ground is a wee bit damp underfoot with the stubborn remains of misty morning dew. The mile-long avenue stretches ahead, turrets and battlements peeking over the horizon, teasing a glimpse of the late Queen Mother's childhood home.

As the car rolls slowly by manicured lawns, curious cattle and a 17th-century doocot - an ancient building that was once used to house nesting pigeons and doves - the road begins to gradually dip and Glamis Castle appears in full glorious view. And what a sight it is!

Built in the 1400s, Glamis Castle is one of Scotland's finest examples of baronial architecture. There's a fairytale quality to the castle, created in no small part by its breathtaking surroundings. Rolling hills and fields provide the picture-perfect backdrop, while a series of beautifully maintained gardens and woodlands provide exquisite outdoor spaces befitting of its royal ancestry and connections. The expert care of the gardens and grounds is evident at every turn, long days of gruelling gardening and careful planting plain to see for all who visit.