Prince Charles praises work to make Castle of Mey gardens a year-round attraction
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PRINCE Charles has overseen a project to turn the famous gardens at the Castle of Mey into a year-round attraction.
He praised the “tireless work and dedicated spirit” of the small team of gardeners involved in the initiative over the past 18 months.
The prince, who is known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland, also acknowledged “the continued generosity and support” shown by television gardener and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh, who recently donated dozens of roses for a new section at the garden.
Prince Charles, writing the foreword to the Friends of the Castle of Mey’s annual newsletter, explains why the castle and the gardens – much loved by his late grandmother, the Queen Mother – mean so much to him.
He said: “In carrying on her legacy, it is a place that has become equally part of my life – not only for the memories I hold dear of many family visits, but also because the castle, the area and the people of Caithness provide an enduring link with a calm and peaceful retreat.
“As president of the Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust, it has always been my principal aim to fulfil my grandmother’s wishes.
“It has been a delicate balance to retain the many qualities at Mey, with which Queen Elizabeth took such a loving interest to create, and to introduce new additions to add further appeal to the many thousands of visitors which the property welcomes on an annual basis. Such qualities include the striking simplicity and charm of the castle itself, along with the splendour of the walled garden and policies, to the farming of a world-class pedigree herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle and a renowned flock of North Cheviot sheep.”
The prince also praised the “marvellous staff” at the castle and highlighted the work done by “the very small gardening team” to turn the gardens into a year-round rather than a seasonal attraction.
He said: “Many new features await visitors to the garden – from the newly designed parterre and fruit cages to the two wooden arbours, constructed in the workshops at Dumfries House and installed on the north and south walls, where visitors can take a moment to sit and soak up the sheer delights of the most northerly walled garden on the mainland.
“In the difficult and often dark days of lockdown, I, like so many others, longed to visit places that remain dear, but staying safe and following the guidelines has undoubtedly helped to protect us from this dreadful virus.”
The prince hopes once the restrictions ease “the glories of the Castle of Mey will once again be shared” by visitors, friends and supporters from all over the world.
Shirley Farquhar, managing director at the trust, said the support of Prince Charles “continues to be hugely beneficial to the north of Scotland as a whole” and highlighted the "ripple effect" on the local economy.
“We cannot thank him enough for everything he and the Prince’s Foundation do for Caithness and the wider community,” she said.
The Castle of Mey was the property of the Queen Mother from 1952 until 1996, when she gifted it with an endowment to the trust. The Queen Mother died in 2002 at the age of 101.
