The Gairdins Project
In 1997 the first moves were made to turn the lower four acres of the croft which Alan had bought into a garden. Three large ponds were dug, fed by natural hill water and kept unlined to maximise the amount of wildlife which might seek a refuge there. Over the years, the meadow grass has been mown continuously until now there are large areas of lawn. Beds have been constructed and planted with a huge variety of native and exotic species. Three trips to
Aerial photography by John Coutts (View or download big (4 Mb) picture)
In 2007 the development of a woodland and rhododendron walk in the lea of one of the original shelterbelts was started. A track some 300 metres long, suitable for disabled access, was created and extensive planting took place. This project is currently ongoing.
Da Gairdins Environment Company owns a total of about 60 acres/24 hectares of land, including the
So far, the gardens and woodlands extend to about 7 acres/3 hectares, with the shelterbelts a further 5 acres/2 hectares in area.
