COLSTOUN WALLED GARDEN

Surrounded by 100 acres of Victorian parkland, the walled garden at Colstoun is the heartbeat of both memory and renewal. Colstoun House itself—an ancestral Broun family home for over 900 years—holds whispered folklore surrounding a pear and the weight of enduring care. Behind its 200-year-old stone wall lies a vital space: once a practical kitchen garden, now a flourishing sanctuary that helps keep the estate alive.

Pears are grown throughout the walled garden, along with apples in the orchard, while bees work hard to make honey, and a mixture of fruit and vegetables are grown in the pollytunnel.

The legend of Colstoun House centres on a “magic pear” given by the wizard Hugo de Giffard to the Broun family in the 13th century, which was said to bring prosperity if kept intact but bring misfortune to the male heirs if it was damaged. A wilful bride later bit a piece from the pear, and shortly after, three brothers were drowned in the river, supposedly due to the damage to the pear. The legendary pear is still preserved by the family and is believed to continue bringing prosperity.

A wide variety of flowers flourish in the garden, including Crocosmias, Gladioli, Poppies, Marigolds, Petunia’s and Foxglove.