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Leith Hall & Gardens |
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Leith Hall & Gardens tel: 01464 831216 Area: Scotland |
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| Visitor Information | www.nts.org.uk | ||||||||||||
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| Leith Hall & Gardens Scotland All details updated* as of: 21/02/2008 |
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| Opening Days and Hours | |||||||||||||
Garden & Grounds; all year; 7 days a week; 9.30am - sunset. |
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| Parties
/ Coaches: Yes |
Groups
/ Coaches need Appointment: Yes |
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House
Open for Viewing: Yes |
National
Garden Scheme days: Yes SGS 22nd July; 12noon - 4pm |
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| Best
Times of Year to Visit: July - Aug. |
To
see: Extensive herbaceous borders and extensive views. |
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| Admission Prices | |||||||||||||
| Garden and Grounds: Adult £8; Concession £5; Family £20; Family (1parent) £16 Car Park Pay & Display £2 Garden only: Adult £2.50; Concession £1.90 |
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| Onsite Facilities | |||||||||||||
| Parking:
Yes Lavatories: Yes Disabled Access: No |
Shop:
No Plants for Sale: Yes Lunches: Yes |
Teas:
Yes Light Refreshment: Yes Picnics: Yes |
Dogs
Allowed: No On Lead only: Yes Special Events: No |
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| Other
Facilities: Pond walk suitable for wheelchairs; disabled toilet. Plants for sale on SGS Day. |
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| Garden Features | |||||||||||||
| The House contains many tapestries, several interesting clocks, some fine china and a wonderful collection of family portraits and paintings Unique military exhibition titled 'For Crown and Country' The estate contains several way marked trails to explore |
English Heritage Garden Grade: | ||||||||||||
| National Collection: | |||||||||||||
| Description of Garden | Designer:
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| The garden at Leith Hall is, in fact, a series of smaller gardens, each sheltered by a wall or hedge and each with its own special character, rising on a gentle slope from the West Drive. Particularly eye-catching is the solid carpet of blue catmint filling one entire border, and providing an attractive foil to the colourful palette of the more traditional herbaceous and rose beds. Redesigned by the Trust is the rock garden with a little stream twinkling its way through winding gravel paths and stone crevices to which heather and alpine plants cling. At the top of the garden, near the curved stables, is the circular "Moon Gate" leading to the old turnpike road, once the main thoroughfare to Aberdeen. Close by is a collection of historic stones, and two of the most interesting, scheduled as Ancient Monuments, are Pictish in origin. The Salmon Stone was once part of a much larger stone and along its broken top edge are fragmentary traces of the fish which gives it its name. The main decoration, rather like a horseshoe, is thought to depict a torc or neck ornament. The Wolf Stone has a well-executed outline of a wolf carved on its face. In contrast to the walled gardens is the open vista to the front of the house where a careful choice of trees and shrubs creates a parkland effect. The estate is fairly modest in size (236 acres) but its interest lies in the variety of scene - pasture and glade, woodland and moorland - and also in the variety of wildlife. There are two nature trails, each about one and a half to two miles long. There is also a new pond walk especially designed to accommodate wheel- and push-chairs. |
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| History of Garden | |||||||||||||
| The lairds at Leith Hall have made improvements over the generations, but the present garden owes most to the second to last laird, C. E. N. Leith-Hay and his wife Henrietta who, in the earlier part of the 20th century, extended and designed it on its present lines. The part of the garden nearest to the house, which had grown produce during the World War II, was restored by Henrietta's niece, the Hon Mary O'Neill, and her husband, Lt. Col. Derick Gascoigne. They lived in part of Leith Hall as tenants of the Trust for many years and their son Brian, and his wife, continue the family connection. |
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| Nearby Scotland Hotels, Facilities & Amenities | |||||||||||||
| Hotels
& Accommodation: Gordon Arms, Huntly Huntly Hotel Castle Hotel, Huntly |
Restaurants: |
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| Inns & Pubs: Nearest facilities 6 miles at Insch and Huntly |
Villages / Towns
/ Sightseeing: Kildrummy Castle & Gardens Huntly Castle Archaeolink Pre-History Park |
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  - Scotland |
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*Information
Updates
Garden guide and review © Gardens-Guide.com and Armchair Travel Co Ltd Armchair
Travel Co Ltd also operates these Click HERE for more details
0201_leithhall.jpg - Leith Hall & Gardens (Scotland)
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