On 9th May, I attended the Cruickshank Botanic Gardens spring plant sale. After queuing for half an hour, and then buying as much as I could fit in my two bags, I treated myself to a tour of the gardens.
These gardens in Old Aberdeen, were founded in 1898 with a bequest from a Miss Anne Cruickshank, given in memory of her brother Dr Alexander Cruickshank. The original Deed of Trust specified that the Garden was to be ‘for the furtherance of University interests and the public good’.
The gardens are so hidden away that it took me almost twenty years before I found them! They are a true gem, nestling in the old part of Aberdeen in the University grounds and close to St Machar cathedral. If you ever find yourself up this way, the whole area is wonderful to walk around and explore. (Check the opening times for the garden though to avoid disappointment).
The gardens, situated in a very sheltered location, contain many wonderful trees and shrubs which provide a special environment for the 2500 labelled plants.
Entering the gardens from The Chanonry gate I was met by the wonderful smell of wild garlic.
Wild Garlic
Shortly after, I was greeted by a magnificent old cherry tree just bursting with blossom.
Old cherry tree
Cherry blossom
One of my favourite parts of the garden is ‘The Sunken Garden’ with its secret passageways,
View into sunken garden
View near Sunken Garden
and its wonderful wild meadow nestling at the bottom.
Snakeshead Fritillary
There were plenty of other surprises too as I wandered around the garden.
Meconopsis
Meconopsis grandis
Meconopsis grandis
Trillium chloropetallum
Ponds and streams are found throughout the garden.
creating an environment for aquatic plants,
Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigolds)
and a lovely place to sit.
Pond and bench
One thing I like about the garden is the informality of the planting under the trees, with many wild flowers flourishing among garden flowers.
Not sure of this one – ID anyone?
Primula veris (Cowslip)
Primula veris
Pulsatilla
Trillium chloropetalum
Striking foliage of Rumex
Fritillaria pyrenaica
Fritillaria pyrenaica
The plants are wonderful, but the trees too are very special.
Bark of Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Cercidiphillum japonicum f. pendulum weeping into one of the garden’s ponds.
There is a whole arboretum to explore, but that will need to be another post.
Meanwhile why not take a seat and enjoy the view.
Here?
Take a seat
Or here?
On the way out I went past the burgeoning herbaceous borders, all staked up with a variety of materials – a real promise of things to come. . . .
A variety of staking
The rapidly growing herbaceous border
I must return later in the year to see the summer flowers.
What a lovely garden to discover, the view into the sunken garden is wonderful. Your little blue flower maybe a wood speedwell.
Thanks Julie – I will check out that id. The flowers looked like speedwell, but I wasn’t sure about the leaves.
What a wonderful place – don’t all the best gardens have hidden paths and unexpected crannies. Those meconopses are radiant and have inspired me to plant some in my own garden. Thank you for sharing this beautiful place.
You are welcome. I know that meconopsis is not easy to grow in some places, but it seems to do OK up here.
Oh why is it so far away? This is a garden after my heart. So many of my favourites here!
It is a long way, but you can often get cheap flights to Aberdeen these days. Why not come up to visit?
What a wonderful garden to have on your doorstep. Is it free entry?
Yes, it was left for the people of Aberdeen to enjoy. I don’t go often enough.
Thank you I enjoyed the tour of this delightful garden. I think we may go Aberdeen next year for the annual Scottish Rock Garden Club show so I will add the botanic garden to the itinerary.
I think the blue flower may be an Omphalodes, possibly Omphalodes verna (blue-eyed mary). Speedwells (Veronica species) have four petals and I think your flowers have five.
Thanks for the suggestion of Omphalodes. There are so many blue flowered wild plants that id is difficult. I think my plant was more upright though, although my photo doesn’t show it – it sounds as if Omphalodes creeps along the ground? I think Frances might be right with Alkanet. I had never heard of it, but the photos look very similar to mine.
When is the Rock Garden show? You must come and visit my garden if you have time when you are here.
Thank you for the invitation, I’ll be in touch if our plans come to fruition.
Alkanet is the same family as Omphaloides and it is a possibility although it is normally very hairy and the leaves look too toothed. Always very difficult from a photograph, nevertheless a very pretty plant.
That is interesting that they are the same family. I must say I didn’t really notice that it was particularly hairy. I will take more notice next time I see it and maybe more photographs. I am just beginning to realise how difficult it is to id wild flowers as many are so similar. It seems even worse with butterflies though. We were up near Inverness the other day and I photographed an orange butterfly – a fritillary. I got really excited when I looked it up thinking it was quite rare, but then I found a common one that looked exactly the same apart from under its wings!
Annette, it looks a lovely place to visit, the plant ID I think it is the same as one I have in my garden, Green Alkanet: http://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flowers/A/Alkanet%28Green%29/Alkanet%28Green%29.htm
the person that gave it to me said it was borage, but it didn’t look like borage to me, I posted it on my blog (like you are) and a lady in Wales named it for me, Janet @ Plantaliscious recently posted photos of some growing wild near her and she told me it is in the same family as borage, Frances
Hi Frances. I think you are right with Green Alkanet. I had wondered about Borage too, but didn’t think it was quite right. Thank you so much for the ID.
What a wonderful place .. I love their garden staking!
Thanks for commenting. Unfortunately your two recent comments went into my spam where I have just found them! I guess the staking will soon be covered up.
Gorgeous trip and plants for your garden.
Thanks
What a calming place to visit, I would have made good use of several of the benches! Lucky for you to have found this spot and eve better that they have a cool plant sale 🙂
It was very peaceful, that is until the bagpipes started up at the nearby cathedral!
Looks heavenly Annette. I especially like your captures of Meconopsis grandis 🙂
Thanks Paula. The Meconopsis was very large and blue, great for photos.