St Mary’s Pleasance Garden Wins 2024 Beautiful Scotland Award with Blooming Haddington
Summer 2024
This summer St Mary's Pleasance Garden was delighted to be chosen as the Beautiful Scotland, Discretionary Award Winner through Blooming Haddington. This was one of a remarkable three awards won by Blooming Haddington this year.
The two other awards were won by Amisfield Walled Garden, just East of Haddington and the Siege of Haddington Commemoration Garden (part of the Haddington 700 Award).
St Mary’s Pleasance Garden is a heritage walled garden and occupies about 0.65 hectares (1.6 acres) between St. Mary’s Churchyard, Lady Kitty’s Garden and Haddington House, which dates from 1648. The main access to the garden is from Sidegate, one of the oldest streets in the Royal Burgh. The garden was designed by the architect Schomberg Scott to a specification of the late Sir George Taylor, former Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Some of the garden’s boundary walls were built by Napoleonic prisoners of war.
The design reflects the features of a 17th century Scottish garden. It contains a mount and sunken garden, both period features. There is also a boxed hornbeam walk, cottage garden, orchard and meadow, period rose border and raised herb beds. The pleached allee of laburnum is spectacular in May and June. As far as is possible, all the trees, shrubs and herbs are types known to have been in existence in Scotland in the 17th century.
The trees in the orchard represent varieties from the 17th to the early 20th century, including White Melrose, Galloway Pippin, Stobo Castle and Stirling Castle. The meadow is planted with spring bulbs and wildflowers to provide a display from snowdrops early in the year to oxlips in April. Summer wildflowers then take over.
As it is over 40 years since it was first created the various features of the garden are undergoing renewal as part of a rolling 5-year programme. This year work has focused on replanting an area that was cleared in 2017 - see Garden Report. A new sundial has been added this year, the cottage garden has been cleared and replanted, and a tree planted to commemorate the Coronation of King Charles (see below).
The range of plants grown attracts a wide variety of fauna. Hedgehog, field mouse, toad, and many varieties of birds have been recorded. Mallard, wood pigeon, collared dove and several species of smaller birds regularly nest in the garden. The wildflower meadow and the cottage garden attract bees, wasps, butterflies, beetles and other insects.
St. Mary’s Pleasance Garden is maintained for the public by the charity Haddington Garden Trust. The Trust was established in 1972 by the 14th Duke of Hamilton. The Trust aims :“to preserve the garden as an open precinct to enhance the environment of St. Mary’s Church and Haddington House, and for the enjoyment in all times coming of members of the public.”
The garden is free to visit and is open to the public every day. Please see our summer and winter opening times on our website footer.