HADDINGTON GARDEN NEWS
New PoppyScotland Garden of Remembrance Opens at St Mary’s Pleasance so Haddington’s Community Can Commemorate Armed Forces
The Trustees of St Mary’s Pleasance Garden next to St Mary’s Kirk in Haddington are pleased to announce that for the first time there will be a Garden of Remembrance opening in the run up to Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day.
Starting on Saturday 1st November, visitors will be able to plant a cross with poppy in a designated area within the Garden in commemoration of loved ones who served their country in the armed services or other capacities.
Roderick Urquhart, Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian, said: “St Mary's Pleasance is a beautifully restored 17th century Scottish walled garden, quietly situated in between St Mary’s Church and Haddington House. It is a particularly fitting situation for a Garden of Remembrance, and I applaud the Trustees of St Mary’s Pleasance for offering individuals the chance to commemorate those who lost their lives in service of our country.
“It is especially pleasing that PoppyScotland is supporting the Haddington Garden Trust in organising this moving initiative.
“On Remembrance Sunday, the East Lothian Lieutenancy will, along with others, be laying a wreath at the War Memorial at the entrance to St Mary’s Church.”
Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Provost and Armed Forces and Veterans Champion, said: “I know that many folk who regularly visit the Garden and others who have never entered its gates will welcome this opportunity to pay their respects, quietly remember, and mark Remembrance and pray for peace.
“I join in thanking the Garden Trust and PoppyScotland on behalf of veterans, serving members of our Armed Forces and their families, and all who want to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
PoppyScotland will provide the crosses and a collection tin/ card reader/ QR code will allow those who wish to do so to make a donation. Crosses will be available from 10am – 12 noon on weekdays and from 10am – 2pm approximately at weekends, subject to weather.
Visitors can enter either from the Sidegate or church yard gates at these times.
Contacts for more information:
Stuart Crawford (Haddington Garden Trust) 07957 859067 / swc@swcrawford.co.uk
Cllr John McMillan (East Lothian Council) 07718 669398 / jmcmillan@eastlothian.gov.uk
Charlie Pelling (Managing Director, Lady Haig Poppy Factory) 07721 031535 / manager@lhpfscotland.org.uk
Jessica Clark (Poppyscotland Appeal Organiser) 07514 721148 / J.Clark@poppyscotland.org.uk
Garden Manager Vacancy - A Rare Opportunity to Contribute to Historic Haddington Garden
The Trustees of the Haddington Garden Trust (HGT) want to appoint a Garden Manager for St Mary’s Pleasance, our historic Scottish Garden.
The Garden Manager is responsible for maintaining and developing the garden as well as co-ordinating the work of the volunteer gardeners.
Some gardening skills and experience would be valuable. The garden manager will take on many aspects of the garden’s maintenance, along managing the small team of enthusiastic volunteers.
This is an ideal post for a garden enthusiast who may be recently retired or, indeed, for anyone looking for an active, responsible and stimulating part-time outdoor job.
The starting salary will be circa £ 14,560 (£14/hour) on the basis of 20 hours per week, paid monthly in arears.
The working pattern is flexible but must include one full day per week. Holiday entitlement will be 12 full days per year.
Anyone interested should contact the HGT at pleasancehgt@gmail.com to note your interest.
Further details about the role and responsibilities will be forwarded to suitable candidates.
Please note that the closing date for applications is Friday 7th November 2025.
Volunteer Gardeners Wanted for Haddington Garden - Open Afternoon Invitation
Saturday 3rd May 2025, 2 - 4 pm
We are looking for volunteers to help us preserve St Mary’s Pleasance, our beautiful 17th century Scottish walled garden in the heart of Haddington.
It is a private garden, maintained by Haddington Garden Trust, a registered charity, and provides a haven of tranquillity for the local community and the many visitors from further afield. There is no charge for access.
The garden boasts a pleached laburnum allée, acknowledged as the finest in Scotland, a boxed hornbeam walk, a cottage garden, an orchard and many other special plants and attractions. It is one of East Lothian’s gems and we believe well worth our efforts to keep it flourishing.
We are holding an Open Afternoon on Saturday 3 May 2025 from 2-4pm, when there will be an opportunity to find out more about the garden and how you can volunteer to help. Whether you can spare a couple of hours or several days each month, we would love to hear from you!
Our Patron, Michael Williams MBE DL, the Trustees, Garden Committee and Gardener would be delighted if you would join us for light refreshments and an opportunity to learn more. Please come along!
If you would like to become a Volunteer Gardener to make an invaluable contribution to the preservation of such a beautiful garden, enjoyed by so many, please email: pleasancehgt@gmail.com
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.
Charles III Coronation Tree Planting Ceremony
May 2024
A VARIETY of hawthorn tree has been planted at the heart of Haddington to mark the coronation of King Charles III.
Roderick Urquhart, Lord Lieutenant for East Lothian, was joined by his predecessor Michael Williams MBE, chairman of Haddington Garden Trust, to plant the special hawthorn tree in St Mary’s Pleasance Garden.
The wet, early summer planting ceremony was also attended by the Haddington Garden Trustees and some locals.
You can visit the gardens on Sidegate in Haddington from 9am to 5pm (Feb to Oct) and 9am to 3.30pm (Nov to Jan).
Bountiful Fruit & Veg
October 2022
This summer has seen another bumper season for fruit and vegetables grown in the Pleasance Garden. The numerous apple trees have been literally groaning with apples, and there have been good crops once again of plums, pears, medlars and mulberries.
The only slight disappointment has been the yield from the fig trees, which were severely pruned last year. We hope they will have recovered fully by next year.
Also contributing to the Garden’s yield have been the potatoes and beans from the elevated planters installed this year. These, plus the products from the orchard, have been available for sale in the Apple House and have proved popular with visitors.
An honesty box in the Apple House has helped contribute to the running costs of the Garden overall.
A Royal Garden
2022
The death of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II had a special sad resonance for the Garden and all those involved with it. The Royal Family are no strangers to St Mary’s Pleasance and have visited frequently over the years.
The Queen herself first visited in 1973 and planted an apple tree which bears fruit every year. Then the Queen Mother came and planted a mulberry tree in 1976. It too produces berries in abundance every summer. Finally, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited on 6th July 2007.
The Garden will be planting a tree in memory of the Duke of Edinburgh in November 2022. No doubt a commemoration planting for Queen Elizabeth will be on the agenda too when the Trustees next meet.
In due course we hope that King Charles and the Queen Consort will find their way to St Mary’s Pleasance as part of one of their tours north of the Border. We look forward to that visit immensely when it comes.