Spring splendour

The winter temperatures were the coldest in decades but Scotland's gardens are preparing to re-open their gates, and visitors' eyes, to the joyous colours and smells of spring.

This passion of its gardeners and the variety of native and exotic plants makes Scotland one of the best places to enjoy and learn the ancient art of cultivation.

For months, staff at the National Trust for Scotland's (NTS) sixty-five garden properties have been landscaping and planting seeds, ready to welcome back the annual hordes of international visitors.

Treats for all tastes

Ever since explorers like David Douglas, George Forrest and Robert Fortune risked their lives to bring rare continental plants back to Scotland, the country has enjoyed an enviable reputation.

The National Trust, one of the country's leading conservation charities, looks after 13,500 different floral varieties. From late Medieval flowerbeds in Culross in Fife to modern designs like Priorwood in Melrose, every style of garden imaginable falls within its care.

There are wooded gardens sculpted around romantic castles and stately homes. There are historic gardens like Hill House in Helensburgh, designed by the celebrated Scottish architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Seeds of knowledge

Not only can plant enthusiasts savour the glorious colours of spring azaleas or rhododendrons as they burst into bloom, they can learn the craft of gardening from expert staff through guided walks and workshops.

Head Gardener, Kevin Ball, welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each year to one of Scotland's horticultural treasures, Inverewe Garden, overlooking Loch Ewe in Wester Ross.

Over the winter months, he and his staff have battled snow and frost to reinstate a shady pond with an insect island for children. The picturesque 54-acre site, with mountain views, will also show off its new lavender coloured rose supports in its walled garden, complete with hanging Manila rope.

Despite the constant endeavour, he believes the hard work over the winter is part of what makes Spring such a special time in Scotland's gardens.

"Spring is one of my favourite seasons at Inverewe. Everything looks so fresh and alive. The magnolias and primulas are coming out and the rhododendrons build in intensity right through to the end of spring.

You have the woodland and herbaceous elements coming through. All the spring flowers and plants like Trilliums look great although there is something different to see all the year round. Our roses and herbaceous borders in the walled garden, for example, look fantastic in summer. It all depends on what the visitor wants to see."

A flavour of the tropics

Diversity is the guiding principle when it comes to the nation's garden stock. From the native, hardy plants to the tender flowers from warmer climates, the country continues to prize innovation. Crarae Gardens in Inveraray, for example, has been compared to a Himalayan gorge.

At Inverewe, Kevin Ball works with flora from Australia, New Zealand, Madeira, Tenerife, South Africa, China, Tasmania and the Himalayas.

The garden was established by Osgood Hanbury Mackenzie on a rocky shore in the 19th Century. He positioned it so it benefited from the warm air of the Gulf Stream. He also created a barrier of trees, sheltering fragile plants from the salt water spray of the surrounding loch.

The result is a unique combination of dramatic Scottish scenery and exotic, temperate plants, despite its latitude being closer to the Arctic Circle than St Petersburg.

"Osgood's influence is still very much alive here today", says Ball. "We still have clumps of Angel's Fishing Rod that he introduced from South Africa. We also have the Eucalyptus trees. In winter and early spring you can have snow on the mountains in the background and the Eucalyptus in front against the blue sky. It creates a warm effect which is stunning."

Jurassic Trees

Inverewe also houses the most northerly collection of Wollemi Pines in the world. Discovered in Wollemi National Park, Sydney, these trees date from the time of the dinosaurs. Called 'Jurassic trees', Inverewe inherited nine samples. There are less than one hundred of the original Wollemi Pines on the planet.

The garden has also introduced Scotland's best example of Himalayan blue poppies. "The idea is to push the limits all the time", explains Ball, who regards Scotland's gardens as some of the finest in the world.

Future generations

While the nation showcases its plant collections, it also promotes the skills people need to create their own special spaces.

The National Trust for Scotland runs a School for Practical Gardening at Threave, in Dumfries and Galloway, to ensure the country continues to produce Head Gardeners in the future. The Trust also promotes learning for visitors through workshops and demonstrations. "We see it as our duty to preserve the skills as well as the gardens themselves," says Ian Gardner, the Trust's Marketing Manager.

"People are taking greater interest in gardens as part of a lifestyle choice. In Scotland, visitors can enjoy the gardens, learn, and put what they discover into practise back home."

With centuries of knowledge to be drawn upon, Scotland is a place to inspire the garden lover, wherever they are in the world.

Plan your visit to an NTS garden today!