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It’s funny how you can live in a place for years before getting around to seeing some wonderful places right under your nose. Threave Gardens is one such place for us, on the outskirts of Castle Douglas. We’ve been thinking of paying a proper visit for some time, having only ever reached as far as the café previously. This beautifully maintained place was well worth a visit (countless bees, butterflies and other flying visitors can’t be wrong!). This selection of photos is but a taster of what the Garden has to offer.
The old stable building.
So many butterflies.
Heading into the walled garden.
Views within. The first two frames are from inside the greenhouse that you can see from the view looking through the gateway, above. I couldn't resist a quick snap of the cacti - they were one of my Mum's favourite plants.
From just outside the walled garden.
Threave House. We didn’t get to see the interior on this visit, but I imagine it’s authentic 1930s decor is very much worth a look.
More views of the House and immediate gardens.
This is as close as we managed to get to the nature reserve this time, just a quick peek through the gate at this beautiful old skeletal tree.
Not far from the entrance to the reserve, there is this rather splendid Eucalyptus. We felt we had to take a closer look. When we saw who else was visiting the tree, though, we decided not to hang around too long. Two dark giant horseflies (tabanus sudeticus) were sunning thenselves on the trunk a few feet above our heads. At around an inch long, with a two inch wingspan and a swiss army knife for a mouthpiece, they looked as if they could pounce any moment to hack through our flesh for our blood. It comes with a certain level of relief for us humans that they much prefer the less fortunate likes of poor horses and cattle. Then again, there weren't many of those around, so the phrase "any port in a storm" came to mind...
The light and shadow-play appealed to me.
Thank you for joining us on this brief but very pleasant wander around this beautiful garden, I hope you enjoyed it. I’ll leave you with one last view, a glorious vista looking across the Ken and Dee valleys, to the Galloway Hills far beyond. See you next time.
Take care.
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Looks a beautiful place. Love the close up flower shots.
Love the punchy colours of the flowers