Scottish garden that came back to life after Storm Eowyn devastation
Sitting at the southern end of Gigha, at the bottom of the Inner Hebrides, Achamore stood directly in Eowyn's path and by the time the winds finally died down, almost 500 trees across the garden's 52 acres had been ripped from the ground.
The shelter belt, which had protected this part of Gigha since the garden was first planted in 1944 by Colonel Sir James Horlick, had been devastated. Twenty four fallen trees blocked the short path from the car park to the main gate and a line of 150-year-old beech trees had been scattered in all directions as if caught up in a vortex.
This couldn't have come at a worse time for Achamore, which had just been regaining its stature as one of Scotland's most fascinating gardens after decades during which its owners, the Gigha Island Trust, had been busy with other matters, including upgrading the island's housing stock following a successful community buy-out in the year 2001. However, after the initial shock, head gardener Bryony White launched a 'GoFundMe' page to help to combat the damage and within less than a week her appeal had raised almost £20,000, enough to bring specialist teams and all their equipment over to Gigha from the mainland.
Camellias at Achamore (Image: Discover Gardens)
The clear-up lasted for months and replanting continues, but Achamore is open once again, allowing visitors to the island to enjoy its collections of rare plants from Asia and the Southern hemisphere. The garden boasts a collection of rare Rhododendrons, including
Rhododendron protistum var. giganteum, collected by Frank Kingdon Ward, and Rhododendron arboreum ssp. albotomentosum from Mount Victoria in Myanmar.
Plants from Chile and Madeira also flourish here and many of them reach huge dimensions, including the Echiums, which develop giant blue flower spikes that can reach more than six metres in height.
These tender species grow on Gigha because of the Gulf Stream and because the island enjoys higher levels of sunshine than other parts of the west coast. This temperate climate is one of the reasons why this small island, just seven miles long by a mile and a half wide, has a history of occupation stretching back to prehistoric times and evidence of this can be found in the standing stones that are dotted around its fields.
Achamore Gardens (Image: Achamore Gardens)
The Vikings settled here too, naming it 'Gudey' or 'God's Island' and more settlers have arrived since the community buy-out, swelling the population from just 98 to 163.
Recently a 20km walking route has been laid out around the island, connecting its important sites, including Achamore, with Ardminish, the island's only village.
Details
Achamore is open from dawn to dusk 365 days a year. Tickets: £7.50/ £5.00 for children under 16 /£20.00 for a family of four. Entry is paid via cash or contactless card honesty boxes at the visitor entrance.
www://visitgigha.co.uk/Achamore-Garden
In association with Discover Scottish Gardens www.discoverscottishgardens.org
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