The Pineapple presides over an immense walled garden. In keeping with Scottish tradition, this was constructed some distance from the house to benefit from a south-facing slope. The walled garden was designed in a characteristically Scottish style, featuring fruit trees trained against the walls and an orchard nestled within. The central area was divided into plots, with flower borders on either side of a grass path.
Walled gardens were essential for any grand residence in a northern climate during the 18th and 19th centuries, as a tall wall of stone or brick provided protection from wind and frost, creating a microclimate that could elevate the ambient temperature several degrees above that of the surrounding area. This facilitated the growth of fruits and vegetables, as well as ornamental plants that would otherwise struggle to survive that far north.
