双语阅读：苏格兰的花园之旅
Garden TourScotland has a different geological structure from England. North of the Southern Upland Fault, Scotland was once part of a separate tectonic plate to England. Scotland's climate is also different: the growing season is approximately a month shorter with West Scotland wetter than England and East Scotland drier than all but the East of England. Scotland also has a separate design tradition. This is more evident in architecture than in garden design but the presence of Scots baronial buildings and local construction materials and techniques gives Scots gardens a distinctive character and, in good weather, a brilliant clarity of form and colour which sets them apart from other UK gardens.
Key Scottish Gardens
Crathes Castle Garden
A sixteenth century castle with a twentieth century Arts and Crafts garden.It might be described as ‘The Sissinghurst of Scotland’. The baronial tower, beside which the garden stands, dates from the late 1500s. For centuries the tower stood in lonely isolation, protecting the Burnett family and allowing them fine views of the woods and moors. In the twentieth century a fine garden was made by Sir James Burnett of Leys. It is a walled garden with sculptured topiary and brilliant planting.
Drummond Castle Garden
An old castle with a fine nineteenth century garden. The multiplex sundial, carved by Charles I’s master mason, survives from the 1630s. It was made at a time of great interest in astronomy and when sundials were the only accurate way of telling the time. Drummond castle is set on a ridge. Terraces step down the hill to the south and a large parterre takes the form of Scotland’s flag, the St Andrew’s cross, centred on the old sundial. The design was carried out by Lewis Kennedy, though the terracing may have been influenced by Charles Barry. Today, the planting is simpler but the garden retains the atmosphere of the Country Life black and white photographs of British gardens. There are no ladies in flowing white dresses, except in a painting of Queen Victoria’s 1842 visit, but the peacocks continue to give an aristocratic air to the scenery.
Royal Botanic Garden
Edinburgh An early nineteenth century botanical garden with a good layout, a splendid site and panoramic views of the Edinburgh skyline. The arboretum and rock garden were made after the appointment of Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour as Regius Keeper in 1888.
Travel arrangements for Scottish garden visiting
Many garden tour companies operate in Britain with the main groups of operators being based in the UK and the USA. The UK operators tend to be lower priced but do not organize travel to Britain and are likely to use larger vehicles. Independent travellers can visit many gardens, but by no means all, using public transport. Car hire is also easy. One of the difficulties for the independent traveller is that many gardens are open only on a few days per week and only in the afternoon. This makes it difficult to visit as many gardens in a day as might appear possible from their geographical proximity.British Council
与人们印象中典型的英式花园不一样， 苏格兰地理上的独特(其北部地区的播种季比英格兰短一个月左右，西部比英格兰要湿润，而东部则是除东英格兰以外全英最干旱的一个地区)使它的花园也频添了一份别样的绮丽。此外，苏格兰也保留着它特有的设计传统，地主庄园风格的小塔式豪华建筑(Scottish baronial style)自成一家。华丽的建筑、优质的建材和精湛的工艺共同铸就了苏格兰式的花园，如遇天公作美，它的与众不同就更易绽现。
苏格兰主要的花园有：
克雷斯城堡花园(Crathes Castle Garden)
一座16世纪的古堡，一家20世纪的艺术花园。克雷斯城堡花园被誉为“苏格兰的西辛赫斯特(Sissinghurst)” 自16世纪末以来，这座古楼就一直孤独地伫立在丛林荒野中，忠实地守护着Burnett家族。进入20世纪后，James Burnett爵士在此建造了一座花园，四面围墙，林木满园，精致至极。
德拉蒙德城堡花园(Drummond Castle Garden)
德拉蒙德城堡花园建于19世纪。花园里矗立着一座查理一世时期的日晷，17世纪30年代的人们热衷于天文学，日晷是当时唯一能准确报时的工具。放眼望去，花园坐于山脊之上，四周梯田蜿蜒而下，整个花圃以日晷为中心，像一面大大的圣安德鲁斯十字旗。花园的设计者是Lewis Kennedy，梯田部分是受Charles Barry影响。如今，花园里的植物朴素了许多，但英式花园中浓浓的田园气息依然清晰可辨;维多利亚女王时期那些白裙飘飘的淑女也许只能去画中找寻,但优雅的孔雀仍旧散发着花园的贵族气质。
爱丁堡皇家植物园(Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh)
这里有大可参天的巨树,也有细若游丝在水中飘荡的小草。园内植物来自世界各地,品种繁多,见所未见,奇花异草,目不暇接。建于19世纪的爱丁堡皇家植物园布局合理，风景秀丽，将整个城市的美景映衬于蓝天白云之上。1888年，时任钦定主管(Regius Keeper)的Isaac Bayley Balfour爵士下令建造了如今举世闻名的岩石园和树木园。更让人兴奋的是，皇家植物园里还有座中国园林呢!
“苏格兰花园计划”(Scotland’s Garden Scheme)
根据“苏格兰花园计划”，苏格兰每年向公众开放的花园将近有400家，其中大多数是私家花园，它们规模各异，且开放时间有别，有些全年迎客，而有些可能只展出一天。
去“苏格兰花园计划”旗下的任何一家花园参观，你一定不会失望。能与游客在自家花园里共度一日，乃园主莫大的欢乐，所以他们一定会热情地接待你。许多花园有盆栽出售，细心的主人还会给旅途劳累的游客送上一杯茶。记住咯，“苏格兰花园计划”下的花园海报都是黄颜色的。
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