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Garden Owners,
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Regards,
Armchair Travel Co Ltd
http://www.armchair-travel.com
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Garden Name: Crarae Garden
Last Modified: 20/01/2011
Garden ID: 0207

pic: 0207_crarae.jpg

Owner: Crarae Gardens Charitable Trust
Address:
Minard
Inveraray
Argyll & Bute
Postcode: PA32 8YA
County: Scotland

tel: 01546 886614
fax: 
website: www.nts.org.uk/Property/19
email: nprice {at} nts.org.uk

Features: 
A unique 100-acre Himalayan woodland garden planted around the steep-sided Crarae burn
Dramatic waterfalls
Champion trees
Neolithic chambered burial cairn

English Heritage Grade:


Opening Times:
All year; 7 days a week; 9.30am - sunset. Winter, open dawn to dusk
Visitor Centre: 1st Apr - 31st Oct; Thurs - Mon; 10am - 5pm.

Best Times of Year to Visit: 
Spring
Autumn

To see: 
Rhododendrons
Autumn colour

National Collection: 
Part of Nothofagus

National Garden Scheme days: No
Comments: 

Parties / Coaches: Yes 
Comments: Coach park 50m from visitor centre

Viewing by Appointment: Yes
Comments:  

House Open for Viewing: no
Comments: 

Admission Prices:
Adult £5.50; 1 parent + up to 4 children £10; Over 60s £4.50; Family £15; Groups £4.50
Free to members: www.nts.org.uk/Join

Parking: Yes
Lavatories: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Shop: Yes
Plants for Sale: No
Lunches: Yes
Teas: Yes
Refreshments: Yes
Picnics: Yes
Dogs allowed: Yes
Only on Lead: Yes
Events: Yes

Other Facilities:



Designer: 
Description of Garden:
Crarae Gardens are situated on the north side of Loch Fyne some ten miles south-west of Inveraray, Argyll. The property in total extends to around 50 hectares and is divided into Crarae Gardens (25 hectares approximately) and the Forest Garden, Waterfall and the 'hill' ground of Barr Mor and Droversland.

The main garden at Crarae is unique, with a strong 'sense of place'. Set on a hillside down which tumbles the Crarae Burn, the scene is reminiscent of a Himalayan gorge. The surrounding tree and shrub collections are rich and diverse, planted for artistic and naturalistic effect. The garden contains one of the best collections of the genus Rhododendron in Scotland, unusually rich in cultivars, as well as part of the National Collection of Nothofagus and particularly good representations of Acer, Eucalyptus, Eucryphia and Sorbus. An extensive path network takes visitors to all corners of the garden, criss-crossing the burn via a series of bridges. The garden is renowned for its spring and autumn colour.


History: 
Lady Campbell, aunt of Reginald Farrer, began the development of Crarae Gardens from woodland in 1912, although the land had been owned by the Campbell family since 1825. Her son Sir George was given the estate in 1925 and he lived there until 1967, greatly extending the plant collection. His son, Sir Ilay Campbell, inherited, then generously gave the gardens to the Crarae Gardens Charitable Trust in 1978, becoming a Trustee himself. Following financial difficulties experienced by the Crarae Gardens Charitable Trust and closure of the Gardens in 2001, The National Trust for Scotland conducted a successful £1.5 million fund-raising appeal to save Crarae by taking it into Trust ownership under which the gardens re-opened in 2002.

Local Inns: 
Village shop & Post Office - 1 mile
Creggans Inn, Clachan Strachur

Accomodation: 
George Hotel, Inveraray
Argyll Arms, Fernpoint

Restaurants: 
Quarry Point Tearoom
Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

Village/Town/Sightseeing: 
Auchindrain Museum
Inveraray Castle
Kilmartin House
Argyll Wildlife Park