The Quoy of Houton, Orkney
Orphir, Kirkwall KW17 2RD
Neolithic wonders of the world, the sunken fleets of Scapa Flow and some of the most amazing sea scapes in the world come to mind when the Orkney islands are mentioned in conversation, yet it is also home to the UK’s most northerly and resilient gardens.
Ten years ago, there was no garden at the historic Quoy and the 1700s house was in ruins, but Kevin and Caroline Critchlow, more used to Derbyshire climes, were determined to make this neglected coastal garden a beautiful haven.
Kevin, a dry stone waller, built the raised beds and the 60-foot-long rill, and Caroline tackled the bramble-filled garden and started to plant the wide herbaceous borders with local, strong thugs including perscaria bistorta, common crocosmia and alchamilla mollis and centurea. Once these robust plants flourished, they provided shelter for the more tender plants such as trilliums and erythroniums, which now bloom behind a bank of oleria semidentata Henry Travers.
The garden has over a hundred ingenious wind protection devices, diagonal low net fences, wire hoops constructed from under floor heating pipes and living woven willow barricades. These provide essential support and protection from 70mph winds, which vortex within the walled gardens on a regular basis throughout the year. Overplanting is essential as plants support each other, yet there is always the risk that precious gems like the Orkney geraniums are crowded out.
The garden is now nine years old and is open this year between 4th – 14th July for the Orkney Garden Festival, raising funds for Friends of the Neuro ward at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and the new therapy garden to be designed by James Alexander-Sinclair, as well as the gardener’s charity Perrenial.
The Quoy of Houton won Gardeners’ World ‘Britain’s Best Challenging Garden’ in 2017 and was listed in the UK top 10 coastal gardens.
Website: www.orkneybedandbreakfast.org.uk
Telephone: 01856 811237
Opening times & admission: Open by arrangement and donation outside of the Orkney Garden Festival
Garden of the Week is in association with Discover Scottish Gardens. For more information, advice and day-out ideas, visit discoverscottishgardens.org
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