Harmony Garden and Priorwood Garden
St Mary’s Road and Abbey Street
Melrose
TD6 9PX
Why Should We Visit?
It is not often that you get the chance to visit two distinctive gardens that are almost right next door to each other, but that’s what you can find in the Borders town of Melrose, where the National Trust for Scotland cares for two lovely gardens in the heart of the town.
Harmony Garden is a handsome Georgian house surrounded by three acres of flower beds, wide lawns and high walls, with views to neighbouring Melrose Abbey and the Eildon Hills.
Priorwood Garden sits within the ancient precinct of the Abbey itself and its deep flowerbeds are dedicated to growing cut flowers, which are sold in the garden’s shop.
Story of the Gardens
Harmony Garden was built for a local joiner who made his money in the plantations of the Caribbean, but it was the Curle family, who bought the house in 1845, who cultivated its gardens.
They also owned Priorwood and it was Christian Pitman, daughter of Blanche and James Curle, who gave the properties to the National Trust for Scotland in 1996.
Highlights
Harmony Garden is filled with spring bulbs and as the season progresses the deep herbaceous borders swell with flowers and the roses that come into bloom in early June.
There’s a large vegetable garden where a wide range of edibles are grown and the different pieces of sculpture that are set amongst the shrubs and lawns provide year-round interest.
Don’t Miss
Over the years the flowers grown at Priorwood have been selected to include those that are best from drying and so the garden is home to dozens of different kinds of annuals, as well as scented herbs.
These are picked just as they open and then carefully dried for pot pourri and decoration.
Anything Else To Look Out For?
Abbeys in Scotland had a history of raising fruit and at Priorwood that connection is maintained in the orchard, which is home to more than 70 heritage varieties of apple, pear and plum, all of which are grown organically.
Best Time To Visit
The annual flowers at Priorwood are at their best in high summer, at the same time as the roses at Harmony are blooming, but some of the finest moments come in spring, when there is blossom in the orchard and the vegetables in Harmony’s kitchen garden are just getting going.
Any Recommendations In The Area?
Trimontium, which lies just east of Melrose, was the sight of the largest Roman fort north of Hadrian’s Wall and it has yielded the greatest number of military-related finds of the era of any site in the UK. The Trimontium Trust Museum, which is dedicated to the fort and its relics, can be found in Market Street.
Directions
From Edinburgh take the A7 south and at the Kingsknowe roundabout join the A6091 and travel three miles east to Melrose.
Details
Harmony Garden and Priorwood Garden are open daily, from 10am until 5pm.
Entry to both gardens is free, although visitors are encouraged to leave donations in the boxes at the gates.
It wouldn’t be Easter without eggs and there are loads to be discovered in the many gardens that this weekend are holding egg hunts and bunny trails for young visitors.
Amongst them are Logan Botanic Garden near Stranraer, Stirling Castle and Dirleton Castle in East Lothian.
At Ardkinglas in Argyll there’s a Bunny Hunt in the woodland garden; Abbotsford in the Borders has an Easter Trail and there are sweet treats on offer for children who find all the clues on the Spring Trail at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
St Andrews Botanic Garden will be providing egg decorating activities, as well as the chance to find out more about birds’ eggs.
There are prizes up for grabs for finding all the bunnies hiding in the grounds of Armadale Castle in Skye and, on Easter Sunday, Teasses Estate in Fife will also be offering lots of Easter-themed activities for children.
Not only that, but many of Scotland’s gardens have just the right sort of grassy slopes for rolling eggs, making them an ideal spot for a spring picnic and bit of seasonal fun.
Logan Botanic Garden
Port Logan
Stranraer
DG9 9ND
In Association With Discover Scottish Gardens. See www.discoverscottishgardens.org.
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