A visit to the gardens at Hill of Tarvit make an excellent day out, says Keith Broomfield

The gardens at Hill of Tarvit near Cupar are well worth a visit, with its wonderful south facing aspect offering a selection of plants that would not normally be able to endure the often harsh Fife climate.

The gardens feature formal lawns, perennials, annuals and heathers, and there is a sunken rose garden. Rhododendrons put on a magnificent display in spring and early summer, and there are excellent walks in the surrounding estate, making it a rewarding place to visit.

The mansion house, which forms the centrepiece of the garden, was built in 1906 by the renowned architect Robert Lorimar for Frederick Sharp, who came from a wealthy family of jute mill owners in Dundee. This A-listed property was created partly out of and on the site of Wemyss Hall, which had occupied the site since 1696.

Lorimar described the site of the garden as ‘lying on the loveliest slope to the south’ and the design of the garden was aided by Sharp, who was himself a keen horticulturalist. Sharp’s son Hugh was a keen plant collector and brought back many plants to stock the garden from his foreign travels – many of which are still present today.
The gardens are divided into north and south elements. The north garden is situated on a south facing slope that leads down to the mansion house. Walled at the top, with an ornate iron gate in the middle, the sheltered aspect provides a microclimate that enables unusual plants such as Nymansay, Eucryphia glutinosa, Persian Ironwood, and different varieties of rhododendron to thrive.

In early spring, hellebores, snowdrops and primroses are the first to flower, followed by a good collection of Narcissi in the grounds immediately surrounding the garden. The major attraction of the garden is the impressive 150m long herbaceous border that follows its course, with climbers and roses being a noticeable feature.

The current garden design is a natural evolution of the early 20th century style with a series of terraces placed by Lorimar. The lavish display of flowers attract many butterflies in summer and early autumn, particularly peacocks and red admirals.
To the south lies a small sunken rose garden, with intricate topiary on yew hedges being a principal feature of this area of the grounds, much of which is laid to formal lawn. There used to be a tennis court here.

No trip to the garden should be taken without visiting the mansion house. The house contains a high quality collection of English, Scottish and European furniture, Chinese porcelain and bronzes, Flemish tapestries and paintings by European artists, including Raeburn, Ramsay and Avercamp).

Surrounding the Hill of Tarvit are some 279 acres of estate, wood and parkland and waymarked trails offer a variety of walks, including to the top of the 211m high Tarvit Hill.

The house and garden is today owned by the National Trust for Scotland. Opening times and further information can be found on the website www.nts.org.uk