Silver Medal at Chelsea for Kinnaird Garden

Archive Sections
	General News
	Local Groups' Activities
	Business & Finance
	Property Pointers
	Travel & Getaway
	Health & Wellbeing
	Art, Media & Craft
	Music / Performance
	Event Reviews
	Wildlife/Environment
	Sporting Activities
	Horticulture
	Hoots and Havers
	Guest Columns
	Useful Links
	Comment Online

Silver Medal at Chelsea for Kinnaird Garden

For the first time in the history of The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, a Scottish Garden was showcased. This little part of Scotland was awarded a prestigious silver medal. The garden designers were inspired by The Kinnaird Estate and by the Castle of Mey Garden, in Caithness, formerly the much-loved private residence of the late Queen Mother.

On Monday 22 May ‘The Kinnaird Garden – A Highland Retreat,’ (pictured above) was used as a platform to launch ‘The Friends of the Castle of Mey’ and those present included Honorary Patron Alan Titchmarsh, Celebrity Ambassador Susan Hampshire, Ashe Windham an extra equerry to HRH Prince of Wales, Viscount Thurso and The Earl of Caithness.

Later that same day the award winning garden was also visited by HM The Queen and many other members of the royal family.

The Friends of the Castle of Mey is a trust formed in the memory of The Queen Mother set up to help preserve royal history and secure the future of this historical gem, just as The Queen Mother wished. She loved spending time in her own very special walled garden, which contained roses and many other flowers and vegetables grown within.

Mrs Constance Cluett Ward, proprietor of Kinnaird Estate, was delighted to lend her estate’s name to the garden. She visited The Kinnaird Garden and said, “This is truly a Scottish Garden, the bothy, the flowing burn and the wild flowers are reminiscent of our surroundings at The Kinnaird Estate”

The Kinnaird Garden exhibit (pictured above) was the work of Sue Bradbury & Catherine Jago. It was supported by the Kinnaird Estate, Atholl Estates, George Goldsmith and Caithness Stone Industries, and constructed by Daniel Aird of Breathing Space.

The judges told the garden designers, “The bothy is stunning, it looks as if it had always been there and is a real eye catcher for all the visitors at the Show.”