Winton Castle Spring Gardens Open Day
Winton Castle’s fund-raising, Spring Gardens Open Day is on Sunday 26 March (12 noon – 4.30 pm) and families and garden lovers are all invited. Winton, an acclaimed events, weddings and activities venue, has opened its gardens since 1931 through Scotland’s Garden Scheme, longer than any other Scottish garden.
Winton’s Head Gardener, Erika, will be giving the garden tours:
“We’ll show visitors round Winton’s walled garden, with its mix of formal and informal areas. You’ll also see the triple-tiered terraced gardens leading down to Sir David’s Loch, and the woodland dell with rhododendrons. Visitors will be able to enjoy our wisteria pergola, hellebores, flowering magnolias, tulips and the sea of yellow daffodils, although it’s still quite early in the season.” The guided garden tours start at 1pm and 3pm (not pre-bookable).
“Recent winter projects have included splitting and replanting geraniums, irises, ornamental grasses, astrantias and many other plants. Tender plants like salvias and pelargoniums are grown in our greenhouse and polytunnel.”
Erika concludes: “I enjoy working at Winton because there’s such a wide variety in the gardens and I have a lot of creative freedom. And, of course, the lovely setting!”
Directions: Pencaitland EH34 5AT, Entrance off the B6355 Tranent/Pencaitland Road.
Profits from the Spring Open Day will be going to East Lothian Foodbank and Scotland’s Garden Scheme charities.
As always, there will be lots of family entertainment on the day, including:
John Muir Alpacas, an Easter egg hunt and treasure trail.
Axe throwing, archery and an obstacle course.
Delicious fare from Winton tearoom, Luca’s Ice Cream van and visiting food vans.
Winton Brewery with their vintage van, Rosie.
Garden crafts for adults and kids, with sow-your-own sunflower workshops.
Guided garden tours (at 1pm & 3pm) and Scottish Renaissance castle tours (you can pre-book the castle tours and admission to the gardens on Winton’s website although you can also still pay on the day on arrival).