A Spring Garden

Spring bedding display at Balcarres, Colinsburgh, which was open under Scotland's Garden Scheme.

Daffodils were beginning to fade but it was still a colourful display.

 A display of hellebores.

A patch of primroses in the woodland garden..

 Ferns beginning to uncurl.

My favourite bulb, fritillary.

Fritillary bulbs natualised in the grass.

Roman History at Balcaskie

In conjunction with Kellie Castle the gardens at Balcaskie were open last Sunday under Scotland's Gardens Scheme. A mini-bus  or tractor-trailer took visitors from Kellie Castle to Balcaskie. The gardens, to the south of the house, are said to have been initially laid out by William Bruce around 1665 and there are three terraces aligned on the Bass Rock. 

There are many classical statues in the garden and I noticed at the back wall of the middle terrace a series of 12 busts. The inscriptions on some of these were almost illegible but Otho and Domitian were clearly readable and I could just make out Octavian and Claudius.  Realised that all 12 were probably of Roman Caesars or Emperors. Prompted me to look up and identify the rest, who they were and when they were in power. From left to right along the wall found out that they are in order of reign - a timeline of Roman history in the 1st Century AD.

Although I couldn't read the inscription because of all the foliage this one has to be Julius Caesar (45 - 44BC). Strictly speaking not an Emperor. His title was Dictator in Perpetuity.

Octavian later called Augustus (31BC - 14AD) great-nephew of Julius Caesar and recognised as the first Emperor of Rome.

Tiberius (14 - 37AD)

Caligula (37 -41AD)

Claudius (41 -54AD)

Nero (54 -68AD). The last of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Chaos ensued in Rome and in the following year there were four emperors. 

Galba (68 - 69AD). Galba was the first in 69AD in what was to become known as 'The Year of the Four Emperors'

Otho (69AD)

Vitellius (69AD)

Vespasian (69 - 79AD)

Titus (79 - 89AD)

Domitian (81 - 96AD)


The 12 above are generally grouped together because in 121 AD the roman historian Suetonius wrote a biography of Julius Caesar and the first eleven emperors entitled "The twelve Caesars" which is a primary source on Roman history of that period.

A Ghoulish Tree Trunk

Dead trees like this one in the Kemback Parkland can look very sculptural. Not sure what species of tree it was. There appeared to be another tree growing right round the trunk, whether off-shoots from the original tree or a different one altogether, not sure.

It was the shapes on the trunk that were amazing. They looked like distortions of noses, eyes and mouths.

Kemback Parkland Ponds

As well as the house and walled garden, there was a chance to walk round the extensive parkland at Kemback on the open day, yesterday. There was a woodland walk with some wonderful trees, but I particularly liked the interconnecting ponds. The largest of the lower ponds was very photogenic.

 Water lilies flowering on the lower ponds.

The upper ponds. There were flashes of bright blue damselflies as they hovered over the ponds but unfortunately they were too active for me to get a photo.

 Yellow irises flowering at the edge of the ponds.

The little stream that runs down through the woodland to feed the ponds.



Scotland's Gardens - Kemback House and Gardens

Spectacular borders in the walled garden.

The gardens and parkland at Kemback house were open today for the first time under Scotland's Garden scheme. It was a beautiful warm and sunny day, probably the best of the summer so far.

The head of the fountain that feeds the rill that runs through the walled garden. The rill is planted with shade and moisture loving ferns and white flowers.

 Statue at the edge of the woodland.

Kemback House. The tour of the house, which included some amazing period and contemporary paintings, sculpture and ceramics, was very well worthwhile and a chance to see round a house not usually open. The house and gardens at Kemback date back to the 15th century when they were owned by the Archbishop of St Andrews and the University.

Living Wall at Balcaskie

The ancient walls of the terraces in the garden at Balcaskie provide a habitat for many different plants.

A small white verbascum growing up the wall.

Yellow corydalis was probably the most prolific plant.

There is also a lot of this pale purple flower. At first I thought it was an aubretia, but I now think that it is Erinus alpinus aso known as fairy foxglove.

Corydalis and Erinus alpinus growing together.

Scotland's Gardens - Balcaskie

A mini-bus  or tractor-trailer took visitors from Kellie Castle to the garden at Balcaskie on the open day under Scotland's Gardens Scheme. The gardens, to the south of the house, are said to have been initially laid out by William Bruce around 1665 and are aligned on the Bass Rock.

Planting in the parterre. Dark-blue salvia with red valerian and creamy white foxgloves.

The sundial at Balcaskie, taken on last year's visit

The view from the terrace looks out to the Bass Rock. Can also just see the windmill at St Monans.

Planting of Lady's Mantle and contrasting blue geranium.

Statues in the garden.

 Looking over the orchard.

Datura sanguinea. A striking plant native to South America. Extremely poisonous, all Datura plants contain tropane alkaloids such as scopolamine (hyoscine), hyoscyamine, and atropine, primarily in their seeds and flowers.