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Drum Castle, Garden & Estate
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Castle
Almost every view of Drum gives a different castle - four for the price of one. Because of its distinct development - a medieval tower, a Jacobean mansion and the exuberance of the Victorians the character of Drum changes as you move around the outside.
The castle is many things to many people - architecture, history, furniture, entertainment.
Gardens
The tradition of beautiful and varied gardens is as strong at Drum as any other National Trust for Scotland property. Over the 30 years since Drum passed into the care of the Trust we have spent many thousands of hours of care and labour to make Drum amongst the best in Scotland.
Garden of historic roses
The Trust opened the garden of historic roses in 1991 to mark its diamond jubilee. Since then the garden has developed into a major attraction for the North-east of Scotland - and that development continues today. Based in the walled garden, built around 1780, the garden of historic roses is divided into four quadrants, each containing a design from one of the last four centuries together with roses from that period. Follow us through the different quadrants to find out a little more about roses from that period. The hybrid tea and floribunda roses seen today are the products of years of hybridising. The garden of historic roses contains many species from which modern roses originated.
The design of each garden is based on authentic layouts for the period it represents. Seven groups of roses are featured, from the historic gallica group to the extensive range of 20th century hybrid shrub roses. Some gardens may include roses from an earlier period which have retained their popularity.
Associated with the roses are herbaceous plants of each period â€" ranging from the simple 17th century herbs to today’s exotic flowers. At the bottom of the garden are a restored gardener\'s bothy and an interpretation room with further information about the gardens. There are 400 different varieties of roses at Drum, representing most of the main groups. To complement the roses there is a good collection of hardy herbaceous plants and there is also an extensive collection of climbers, covering the 4 metre high walls. Shrubs, small trees and topiary add to the interest and give height to the garden.
Gallicias. These are some of the oldest roses in cultivation and much early breeding work was done using them. They are hardy, disease resistant compact, bushes, often thornless and scented with a range of flower colour from maroon to pale pink. There are around 20 different gallicias at Drum, including the apothecary\'s rose and the famous striped rose, rosa mundi.
Albas. A lovely disease resistant group of roses with soft blue foliage an good scent. They can form large sturdy bushes with graceful branches. \'Celestial\' is particularly beautiful, a soft pink with perfect buds opening out slowly and over a long period and with a scent worth burying your nose in.
Centifolia or cabbage roses. The rose of one hundred petals, often painted by renaissance artists. Exquisite shapes and perfumes though they do not like so much rain. \'Fantin latour\' performs especially well at Drum, but another ten other centrefolias can be found here.
Damask and moss roses. These date back to the 16th century and a lot of cross breeding was done using these as parents in the 19th century - their scents and unusual buds were the attractions. They make healthy plants and some are repeat flowering. They were used extensively in the perfume industry. \'ispahan\' and kazanlik\' are particular favourites. The scots roses - pimpinellifolias - very prickly, suckering habit makes these unsuitable for most borders but they make good hedges and flower in May/June. They are very hardy and disease resistant, but are unscented with small flowers. There are 120 varieties in the early 1900\'s but now only 30 are available commercially. Around 15 are present at Drum, many given to us unnamed by passionate collectors.
Sweet briars and rugosas. These are also represented at Drum, Although their suckering habit makes them awkward to maintain in with other plants. These are particularly important in modern breeding with its emphasis on health and scent and vigour.
The pond garden
Following the path from the castle to the garden of historic roses, a turn of a corner brings you to the pond garden, an unexpected delight, particularly for children and those who just want to sit a while and watch the world - and the ducks - go by.
This feature developed from the 1920\'s into a garden. Previously it was probably used as a fish pond or water holding area for animals. The water comes from runoff from the castle and surrounding higher grounds and drains into a rill which leads to Robbie Ross\'s Loch, a sometime substantial lake. The planting around the pond is informal and is designed around the main feature of New Zealand flax which gives strong architectural form. Ornamental grasses such as \'cowman\'s bronze\' and waterside plants such as \'gunnera\' and rodgersia\' make this a plant person\'s delight to walk through on the way to the walled garden.
A delicate statue acts as a focal point on the return trip, with wonderful glimpses through the trees to the castle\'s 13th century tower.
Ahe arboretum
Drum castle stands in a fine countryside setting of mature trees and lawns. Magnificent specimens of horse chestnut, European lime and copper beech have been given space to grow to their full stature. Sweet chestnuts and oaks further add to the sense of antiquity.
These ancient trees date back to the 1700\'s, a time of prosperity and peace within the estates of Drum. Following the fashions of the time, the productive garden was relocated within the sheltering walls at a distance from the house. Animals were allowed to graze right up to the walls of the main building, in a gentle rolling landscape of specimen trees, copses and grass.
The mid 19th century saw a further period of prosperity at Drum under the 18th laird. As well as improvements to the building, this laird was interested in planting trees. Many unusual conifer species were introduced, such as the Douglas firs adjacent to the old laundry, may have been raised from seeds from the original collection by Douglas in 1827.
The interest in conifers continued into late Victorian and early Edwardian times. Brewer\'s weeping spruce, a native of western America and fitzroya, from Argentina, are two mature specimens from this period of acquisition. There is a lovely example of the Japanese umbrella pine and a pocket handkerchief tree which is stunning in May. The nuts from the latter are collected, dried and sprayed gold for weaving into Christmas holly wreaths.
The National Trust for Scotland has been adding to the tree collection through a tree sponsorship scheme and significant collections of holly and acer species are now established. Replacements for the fine specimens are also being planted in the hope that the unique peaceful pleasant atmosphere at Drum can be maintained for future generations.
The lawns
The main grassed area is the south lawn. This area may once have accommodated a formal 17th century garden but this was probably destroyed by the covenanters who ransacked the property under the command of the Marquis of Argyle in 1644. During the 18th century it was grassed over and turned by the Victorians into a croquet lawn. Its large rectangular and surprisingly flat surface is a perfect complement to the renaissance face of the Jacobean mansion. In spring colour is added to the edges by the flowering rhododendrons, golden laburnum and white cherry blossom.
The wider estate
At one time the lands held by the Irvine\'s of Drum stretched all the way from Aberdeenshire to the Tay. Nowadays the estate at Drum is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland and consists of a little over 400 acres. There are now three walks:
The old wood of Drum
Follow the yellow trail on the woodland walk
Oak woods once covered much of lower Deeside. Little remains and the old wood of Drum is one of the few surviving examples. Oak from Drum is thought to have been used in the roof of Aberdeen’s St Machar’s cathedral built in 1435 and in the construction of the bon accord in 1606, the first large ship to be built in Aberdeen. The wood is now designated a site of special scientific interest. The wood is home to a variety of wildlife. As you follow the way-marked trail through the oaks, scots pine and birch you may see red squirrels or catch a glimpse of the secretive roe deer or come across evidence of foraging badgers. Woodpeckers nest in the wood and in winter one of Scotland\'s most important rookeries attracts thousands of rooks each evening at dusk. In summer pipistrelle bats can be seen doing their part in keeping the midges under control.
The farmland trail
Follow the red trail on the farmland walk
The earliest maps of Drum dated 1590 show only an enclosed park â€" but by 1750 the maps show a field layout that can still be seen today. The farmland at Drum castle is part of the home farm. for many years it was farmed ‘in hand’ i.e. directly by the Irvine\'s in the castle,
But since the early 1960’s has been in the hands of the Duncan family.
The way the land is farmed blends tradition and the economic climate. These days sheep are no longer reared on the estate â€" although they might be seen in the winter months as fields are let. In the summer, between May and October, visitors will see cattle being fattened for beef.
The cattle are brought inside in November and fed on barley grown on the farm and harvested in August or September.
Remember as you use the trails and paths that farming represents a livelihood so please ensure your dogs are kept under close control.
Drumhill
Follow the blue trail for the Drumhill walk
Drumhill occupies a special place in the hearts of those who love the north east. From this trail you can see three of Aberdeenshire\'s icons, the River Dee, Bennachie and Lochnagar. The walk starts on the west drive, goes through conifer plantations and then returns through a mix of broadleaf such us beech, oak, holly and ash.
Conifer plantations have a bad name amongst both residents and visitors to the countryside. They are seen as impregnable and boring, supporting little in the way of wildlife and ruining the open countryside. But they can also be a source of revenue to the estate and do provide a habitat for roe deer, rabbits, wrens, gold crests and buzzards. At the moment timber prices are low so there is little point in harvesting the spruce and pine plantations.
On the other hand, we have just felled a compartment of Douglas fir and this will be regenerated with broadleaf trees such as oak and with natives trees such as Scots pine.
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