Brodie Castle
Near Forres, Morayshire
From the north of Scotland to northern Africa, lore associating the daffodil with new beginnings and prosperity is found wherever these jolly harbingers bloom.
A place to see hosts of the golden flowers is Brodie Castle in Morayshire which has been associated with daffodils since it held its first specialist exhibition in 1899.
Over the next decades, Ian Brodie, the 24th laird, developed over 400 varieties. Many of Brodie’s were subsequently lost, and the National Trust for Scotland is still recovering what varieties it can.
A few years ago, two extremely rare types were returned after being discovered in Australia, and now spring visitors can enjoy more than 100 varieties in the grounds of the rose-coloured turreted castle, which is also home to the National Collection of Narcissus.
The ancestral home of the Brodie clan for over 400 years, the castle is open all year round and has an extensive library and art collection featuring work from Dutch Old Masters.
Greenback Garden
Clarkston, Glasgow
Set less than a mile from Glasgow’s southside suburbs is Greenback Garden, a peaceful 18th century walled garden planted to inspire domestic gardeners.
Home to the National Collection of Bergenia and more than 3,600 named species of plants, the walled garden was built around the same time as the 16-room house was built for tobacco merchant and slave trader Robert Allason. He went bankrupt and lost the property following the American Wars of Independence.
Now the home and garden are flanked by mature beech trees, with the latter featuring more than 50 varieties of daffodil.
There’s a café on hand for refreshments and light lunches and from next month, visitors can enjoy a self-guided trail offering the best route to admire the daffodils.
Threave Garden
Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire
Originally designed for the Gordon family in the 1870s, Threave House has been home to the National Trust’s School of Heritage Gardening since the early 1960s.
The garden, cultivated by generations of students, is divided into a series of smaller gardens to showcase different styles, including a rose garden, rockery and walled garden which features herbs, fruit and vegetables.
Up to 300 varieties of daffodil can be seen in massed displays in the grounds and the wider estate features a bat reserve and a Special Protection Area for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl.
Castle Fraser
Inverurie, Aberdeenshire
Film fans might recognise Castle Fraser from 2006 movie The Queen while others will know it from calendars and promotional images: the baronial five-storey tower house is both photogenic and highly evocative of the “old Scotland” image that attracts international visitors.
The castle has just reopened for the year and features treasures the Fraser family have amassed for over 400 years.
For daffodil seekers, the prize is the castle’s avenue, which is under-planted with impressive displays each spring.
Galloway House Gardens
Garlieston, Dumfries and Galloway
These 65-acre seaside gardens offer much to see and explore, from a network of formal garden paths to views across Wigtown Bay.
As the gardens benefit from the mild Gulf Stream climate, they will now be bursting into life with many daffodils in bloom as well as bluebells, rhododendrons and more.
Dating back to 1740, the glasshouses and walled garden are being restored to a state that would be safe for the public, though restricted access to view them may be arranged by prior arrangement.
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