Castle Menzies Gardens

The earliest history of the gardens is not known. In 1746 Sir Robert Menzies of that Ilk, 3rd Baronet, claimed for damages, part of which was for the rebuilding of high garden wall which had been torn down. The Red and White Book of Menzies (1894) records in the chapter covering Sir Robert's life that in 1747 he built the north wall of the terraced garden to plant fruit trees against it. (This could also refer to the present middle wall which still has several apple trees on it.) There are also still fruit trees on the present northernmost wall - eg plums, pears - some giving a good crop in good years despite lack of a gardener's tender care - but we do not know the age of these trees.

This chapter in the book also gives many details of the great trees of all types planted on the estate and says that fruit trees able to be cultivated in the open are in Scotland really thrive in this area. A special mention must be made of the gean - or wild cherry (prunus avium) of Europe, W Asia and N Africa - ancestor of the cultivated sweet cherries.

"Castle Menzies Gean Trees from a very early date obtained celebrity all over the country. So famous indeed were these trees at one time, that their seed was sought from all parts of Great Britain, and large quantities were even sent abroad by request to all parts of the world. These Menzies gean trees were considered the oldest and finest gean trees extant; their fame has even been the poet's inspiration, there being an old Highland song composed in their praise, called "The Castle Menzies Gean Trees", which was so popular in its time as to be sung all over Scotland. They also have been the musician's subject for composition - one of the finest dance tunes handed down to us is "Castle Menzies Gein Trees Strethspey".

Sinclair's Statistical Account 1791 also praises the work of Sir Robert (1706-86) both for the gardens and all the grounds. "Here are likewise two orchards which yield a great variety of apples, pears, cherries and the finest of geans both black and red."

Dr A D Dewar has written about the Castle Menzies Policies in Clan magazine No 12 December 1989 (Sorry not yet on site, but obtainable at Castle Menzies). One of the best maps from his article is reproduced here (Ordnance Survey 1861) as it shows the Castle - the glass houses behind it - (note, not in the walled garden but located more conveniently for the castle) and on the hillside to the right (Nos. 24 and 25 representing current area) the walled garden. When you enter it today if is often noticeably warmer than outside and the site must have been wisely chosen by the ancestors.

As in 1957 the Society was just being brought together again after World Wars disruption we did not manage to acquire much land around it. Therefore when an opportunity to purchase the Gardens came in 1984, and although we still had a lot of work to do on the Castle, especially the Victorian wing which we were in danger of losing, we took the plunge and bought them. An appeal was organised by Mr J Menzies Thornton. We had taken the challenge with a ruined castle in 1957 - so why not?

However we have not managed to tame them yet! ! Several members have done bits and pieces over the years but a garden soon reverts to the wild and rabbits do not help either but none of us lived nearby to keep up a sustained effort. To add some colour climbing roses were put on the iron arches which we think might have had fruit trees, perhaps peach, trained on them.

We have been open to ideas and in 1992 when the Secretary, Mrs Audrey C Paton, saw a challenge thrown out by the BBC Scotland television programme 'The Beechgrove Garden" which had a "Hit Squad" to help people improve their gardens (long before the many make-over programmes currently on offer for house and garden make-overs) she put in an application. Up until then it had only been the usual small gardens which had been tackled. But whether if was the size or the association with Archibald Menzies we were chosen. In later years the programme moved into helping in large community schemes creating gardens on spare land etc so perhaps we helped develop the programmes too.

In any case we were taken aback - we liked our garden, we were proud to have bought it - but the enthusiasm of Jim and Walter really astounded those of us working with them. We did not realize we had such a jewel (if only we had had more money and more time!). The following is a quote from Clan Magazine No 15 December 1992 (Sorry not on web yet and out of print)

"The Hit Squad gardeners, Jim McKirdy and Walter Gilmour were immediately appreciative of the size and complexity of the problem of developing the Gardens in a manner which would subsequently require a minimum of maintenance. The plan that was offered by these widely experienced experts was readily accepted. This was to turn the upper terrace into an arboretum commemorating Archibald Menzies and to grass the lower terrace to plant areas of decorative shrubs and heathers.

In the event, the programme resulted in the formation of a small herb garden at the lower end of the main steps and, after a necessary clearing of intrusive vegetation on the upper terrace, the planting of some 21 saplings of trees identified originally by Archibald. We are greatly in the debt of the Hit Squad, the Director Nick Ibbotson and his team and the BBC for their advice and for carrying out without cost to the Castle Fund this real start to the rehabilitation of the Gardens.

Our thanks are due particularly to Mr Jim McKirdy who subsequently came to Weem to offer his help in developing the plan and to his son, John, who spent a week strimming the remainder of the upper terrace, grant-aided by Scottish Woodlands Ltd to whom, also we express out thanks."

To make another short section of their programme they came back about 3 years later and they in turn were astounded at the growth rate of the new trees they had planted in the Archibald Menzies Arboretum. Even better growth than would have been expected in the warmer and wetter Argyll Scottish west coast and that without much extra watering being able to be done to establish them because of the distance from water source and uphill carrying of heavy containers. Audrey Paton and a keen local gardener who has helped us at many different time, Mr Hamish MacDonald, took part in the second short film.

More recently when funds were available from Lottery money an application was made for a major development but alas did not appeal to the givers of funds. So the garden remains an area for practical, worthwhile ideas on their future use - meanwhile we can have a relaxing stroll even if it has to begin uphill. But what has not been uphill over the past 43 years of our time at Castle Menzies?