Green-fingered Murdo Macdonald visits some of the country’s most important gardens to explore their design, plant-life, setting and history.

In this programme, Murdo travels to Fochabers to visit Gordon Castle which has one of the oldest and largest walled gardens in the country. Originally built at the turn of the 19th century, the garden was redeveloped in 2013 by owners Angus and Zara Gordon Lennox.
Murdo talks to Zara about what was involved in the renovation and sees some of the 200 varieties of vegetable, 60 varieties of apple and over 50 varieties of flowers produced. More than 200 products are made from what is grown and the produce and flowers are sold from the garden.

Roddy Maclean explains the thistle’s connection to Scotland, and Dr Mark Newman from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh tells us more about the history of walled gardens.

Tha gàirneilear sgileil, Murchadh Dòmhnallach, a’ tadhal air cuid de ghàrraidhean mòra na h-Alba, a’coimhead air an cruth, na tha fàs unnta agus an eachdraidh.

Sa phrògram seo tha e a’dol gu Gàrradh Cuairtichte Chaisteil Ghòrdain, fear dhe na gàrraidhean is sine agus is motha taobh a-steach balla cloiche. Thòisichear air san 19mh linn ach chaidh ùrachadh ann an 2013 aig a’chàraid leis a bheil e, Aonghas agus Zara Gordon Lennox. Tha Murchadh a’seanchas ri Zara mun obair leasachaidh, agus a’faicinn na th’aca a’fàs: 200 seòrsa glasraich, 60 seòrs’ ùbhlan is còrr is lethcheud seòrsa dìthean. Tha 200 rud eadar-dhealaichte ga dhèanamh a toradh a’ghàrraidh, agus tha sin agus na dìtheanan gan reic.

Innsidh Ruairidh MacIlleathain mun cheangal eadar fòghnan is Alba, agus tha fiosreachadh aig an Oll. Mark Newman a Gàrradh Luibheanach Rìoghail Dhùn Èidinn mu eachdraidh ghàrraidhean cuairtichte.

In Gaelic with English subtitles Show less