The Gardens and Grounds

The grounds of Glamis Castle were partly re-modelled in the late 18th century by a garden designer working under the influence of the celebrated English landscape gardener, Lancelot 'Capability' Brown but the present layout dates from c.1820 when the avenue was replanted. Since then the older type of garden layout has gradually been re-introduced, notably the Dutch Garden which is to the East of the front entrance and laid out by the 13th Earl in 1893. It consists of geometrical designs of low box hedges enclosing flower beds. In the centre there is a statue of Mercury, messenger of the gods. Although vis ible, this area is not accessible to visitors as it is part of the private gardens . When, at the end of the last century, work was started on digging out this Dutch Garden the workmen found an underground passage. Lord and Lady Strathmore were away at th e time and it was decided to close it up without further investigation. It is intriguing to consider what secrets it might have revealed.

The Queen Mother's parents adapted part of the shrubberies on the east side of the Castle to form what is now kn own as the Italian Garden. It consists of about two acres enclosed within high yew hedges with two attractive gazebos in 17th century style. A commemorative stone dated 1910 recounts the creation of this quiet and attractive garden with its herbaceous bor ders and fountain, and bears the names of those involved in its creation. Most of the people concerned were local, and some of their families still live in the village or near by.

Previously members of the public entered the Italian Garden through a gardeners' wooden service gate and for some time it had been the intention of the family to replace this with something more attractive. In 1980 it was decided to celebrate the 80th birthday of H.M. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother by making the new wrought iron gates now to be seen. These were by George Sturrock, a local blacksmith, and incorporate Her Majesty's year of birth (1900) and the year of her 80th birthday (1980) along with roses and thistles. Her Majesty visited Glamis on 9th September 1980 and personally opened these gates.

One of the best-known objects in the grounds is the huge baroque sundial, a marvel of 17th century technology put in its present position three degrees west of the Greenwich Meridian by the 3rd Earl between 1671 and 1680. The sundial part is a many-faceted stone with a face for every week of the year so that the time could be worked out with great accuracy. The rest of the construction, over 21 feet hig h, consists of twisted columns, supportive putti and a decorative top capped by a coronet surmounting fleurs-de-lys.