Garden history

The walled garden pre-dates the current house but all records of it were lost in the fire which destroyed the original house.  Traditionally its function would have been to provide the house with produce and flowers throughout the year and of course it still does.  Whereas a depleted staff, fierce ties with tradition and lack of available funds led to a gradual decline in the general state of the garden at Cambo, we are fortunate that it was still maintained (unlike so many walled gardens throughout the country which were totally abandoned), so that the basis was still there when the present Lady Erskine, an avid gardener and knowledgeable plantswoman, came up with the idea 22 years ago of using the mail order sale of the prolific Cambo snowdrops to fund the restocking of the garden.   Eventually the garden was opened to the public, garden photographers and journalists became aware of it and its reputation grew.  It became a Royal Horticultural Society partner garden in 2005 and is constantly evolving.

Cambo has been fortunate throughout the years that a series of gardening enthusiasts has married into the Erskine family, and perhaps never more so than the present generation with Catherine who is an extremely knowledgeable plantsperson and able gardener.

It was under her guidance that the gardens were first opened 16 years ago and now, ably assisted by her Head Gardener, Elliott Forsyth, who joined the estate in 2001, the garden is increasingly gaining attention and praise from both the gardening press and the enthusiastic gardener and visitors looking for somewhere interesting and relaxing.

Accessed through an informal woodland garden beside the potting shed, this romantic Victorian garden of 2.5 acres is designed round the Cambo burn with waterfall and rose-clad wrought-iron bridges.  The central point is a summer-house with bridge and willow reminiscent of a willow-pattern plate.

With its large greenhouses this garden has always supplied the house with flowers, fruit and vegetables but it has changed quite dramatically since the days when Jack Greig continued in his father's footsteps as Head Gardener.  Ten years ago there were still rows of marching dahlias, lines of bedding plants and vast beds of fruit and vegetables - so prolific that they supplied all the local shops and hotels.  A large section was given over to a planting of Christmas trees which have since matured and been sold.

Elliott's combined creativity and knowledge of plants produces vast herbaceous borders of naturalistic plantings of interesting perennials, a wonderful ornamental vegetable garden, a beautifully planted moist garden and constant changes.