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Please use the following format and info on your own site to link to your page in Gardens-Guide.com: at Gardens-Guide.com http://www.gardens-guide.com The premiere directory of open gardens in the UK and Ireland today Ask your friends and suppliers as well to link to your page in Gardens-Guide as well. Every link we get into your page helps rankings for both of us in search engines. **************************************************************** **************************************************************** **************************************************************** Garden Name: Shepherd House Last Modified: 17-04-2012 Garden ID: 0547 pic: 0547_ShepherdHouse.jpg NOTE: If this says "missing", then please send us a picture for your page which is at least 1000 x 1000 pixels in size. Thanks! Owner: Sir Charles & Lady Fraser Address: Inveresk East Lothian Postcode: EH21 7TH County: Scotland tel: 0131 665 2570 fax: website: www.shepherdhousegarden.co.uk email: annfraser //at// talktalk.net English Heritage Grade: Opening Times: Winter: 14th February to 1st March Tuesday and Thursday 2-4pm Spring and summer: 17th April to 5th July Tuesday and Thursda y2-4pm Best Times of Year to Visit: April - June Open in aid of SGS and other charities........... SUNDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2.00pm to 5.00pm In conjunction with 'Scottish Snowdrop Festival'. Charity opening in aid of 'Scotland's Gardens' and 'Battle of Prestonpans Heritage Trust'. Specialist Plant Stall, Tea and Coffee with homemade baking. Original Watercolour Paintings by Ann Fraser. Artist's Prints and Cards for sale ENTRANCE £4.00 SUNDAY 29TH APRIL 2.00pm to 5.00pm Charity opening in aid of 'Scotland's Gardens' and 'The Battle of Prestonpans Heritage Trust'. Original watercolour paintings by Ann Fraser. Artist's Prints and cards for sale. Specialist Plant Stall. Tea and Coffee with homemade baking. ENTRANCE £4.00 SUNDAY 3RD JUNE 2.00pm to 5.00pm Charlty opening in conjunction with other gardens in the village of Inveresk in aid of 'Scotland's Gardens' and 'The Thistle Foundation'. Tea and Coffee with homemade baking. Plant Stall. Original Watercolour Paintings by Ann Fraser. Artist's Cards and Prints for sale ENTRANCE £5.00 includes entry to all open gardens in village. Best Times of Year to Visit: Feb April - June To see: Collection of 50 different species of Snowdrop Large collection of tulips and other bulbs. Early perennials. Roses. Rill parterre and potager. National Collection: National Garden Scheme days: Yes Comments: (SGS days) Parties / Coaches: Yes Comments: Please contact by phone or email Viewing by Appointment: Yes Comments: Please contact by phone or email House Open for Viewing: No Comments: Admission Prices: £4.00 by Honesty Box Groups Welcome by Arrangement Parking: Yes Lavatories: No Disabled Access: Yes Shop: No Plants for Sale: Yes Lunches: No Teas: Yes Refreshments: No Picnics: No Dogs allowed: No Only on Lead: No Events: No Other Facilities: Plants are for sale on Sundays only. Teas only available on Sunday openings. Features: Rill, Alpine Wall, Potager, bulb meadow, parterre, ponds, fountains and botanical paintings. Designer: Charles & Ann Fraser Description of Garden: The garden at Shepherd House was one of only two in Scotland featured in the late Rosemary Verey's book "Secret Gardens" and lives up to its reputation with many individual gardens nestling inside each other like Chinese boxes. It reveals itself slowly starting with the Millennium Garden nearest the house planted with lavender, irises, oriental poppies and salvias. The main feature of the garden, however is the elegant stone rill flowing for 40 yards under rose covered arches planted with nepetia and alliums. The rill connects the central formal pond with a raised pond at the back of the garden containing four fountains which overflow to feed the rill. Other features of the garden include a bulb meadow, a woodland garden, a knot garden, a shrub rose border and a rose-covered arbour. History: Shepherd House dates from 1690 and the garden is surrounded by high stone walls. Inveresk was a Roman camp so the ground has obviously been cultivated for hundreds of years. However, when the present owners moved to the property in 1957, the garden was a wilderness. After consulting ancient maps, they first restored the central path and began the task of clearing the remainder. They began re-designing the rest of the garden and slowly the garden has evolved. Remarkably, they have never employed a garden designer nor operated to a central plan. Local Inns: Accomodation: Self-catering cottage can be booked at www.scottish-country-cottages.co.uk Restaurants: Village/Town/Sightseeing: 18th century village of Inveresk near to Musselburgh and 7 miles east of Edinburgh.