Gardens

The Plaisance (Walled Garden)

'Plaisance' is a French word meaning a pleasant place. It is a formal garden walled on three sides. Old paintings show it was likely to have been built in the late 18th century, The iron gate on the north side of the garden was a present given to the 8th Earl and his wife by the estate workers in 1956 on their Golden Wedding Anniversary. On the gates you will see the dates of their marriage and the double headed eagle, which is the Boyle family crest.

The Children's Garden

In 1769 the 3rd Earl ordered this box garden to be planted for his son and three daughters. It forms the shape of the Scottish flag with the children's initials planted in miniature hedges in the inside corner of the four individual gardens. The initials stand for Lady Elizabeth, Lady Helen, Lady Jane and Lord George (later the 4th Earl of Glasgow) Boyle.