by James Alexander-Sinclair
Suddenly you are confronted with spectacular magnolias, towering cordylines, magnificent tree ferns, a vast Monterey pine and an avenue of gorgeous cinnamon-barked myrtles...
There are few things as dreary as other people's holiday pictures and I am fully aware that I am skating on very, very thin ice by blogging about my holiday two weeks in succession, but…
I really wanted to write about the biggest garden on the Isle of Colonsay, Colonsay House Gardens. It is not the only garden: there are a few smaller gardens on the island - including what must be one of the most spectacularly sited vegetable gardens in the world: they have used stones set on end as fencing (here is a distant view down onto the garden).
Now, I have to declare a slight interest here as I have done some work replanting the odd bit of border but the magnificence of the garden has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with me. Colonsay is a warm island (the Gulf Stream sees to that) but susceptible to ferocious winds. Fortunately, many years ago a far-sighted fellow planted a thick shelter belt of trees around the gardens, which saves them from the worst winds.
The gardens were laid out in the early 1930s and consisted of immaculately maintained pathways through fabulous exotic plantings. Since then the garden staff has been reduced from 12 to one and the mood of the garden has changed to one more in keeping with the relaxed attitude of the island.
The paths are a bit overgrown and there are spectacular thickets of wild fuschia and ferns but the bones are still visible and there are plants there that take the breath away. Suddenly you are confronted with spectacular magnolias, towering cordylines, magnificent tree ferns, a vast Cupressus macrocarpa (Monterey pine) and an avenue of gorgeous cinnamon-barked myrtles. It is also considered one of the best rhododendron gardens in Scotland.
Closer to the house the gardens are less wild and include an area based around the lens from the old lighthouse on the neighbouring Isle of Islay: I believe it was bought for a few bottles of whisky and reassembled here.
The gardens are open on Wednesday afternoons, and you can get a slice of particularly fine cake). You can get a day trip ferry beginning in Kennacraig but you would be better off staying a while.
