Da Gairdins i Sand and fond memories

The other day I popped into the Visitor Centre, Lerwick, and found a leaflet listing gardens open to the general public.

Yesterday brought the bluest of skies and so I decided to visit Da Gairdins. What a wonderful day I had.

The sun was out and Sand looked stunning.

I met Ruby on arrival and she told me the history of the Da Gairdins. She started transforming the grazing and hill land, with her late husband, Alan, back in the early 90's. Ruby inherited the tenancy of three crofts and then they purchased another croft to join all the land together, and so began the hard work to create this beautiful garden. A sheltered oasis with over 25,000 trees and shrubs!

There are two gardens: Annie's Garden and Granny's Garden. Annie's is named after the late Annie Johnson who used to work the croft there. It extends to nearly 4 acres. Granny's Garden, so-called because it used be crofted by Ruby's forebears - here you will find woodland walks and a growing collection of rhododendrons, trees and shrubs.

Ruby visited New Zealand some time ago and returned with Kiwi seeds and cuttings. Flax, Cabbage Trees and many other southern hemisphere plants surrounded me in Annie's Garden - I was transported back to South Island. Wonderful.

I listened to waves crash in the distance, watched birds dart in and out of the trees, sat in Da Mödoo (the meadow) carpeted with wildflowers, followed the wiggly path through Da Willowerie.... Absolute tranquility. This really is the perfect place for a picnic, to leave all cares behind, to sit and watch clouds reflected in leafy ponds.

As I was about to walk to 'Granny's Garden', Ruby introduced me to a Shetland lady in her mid-nineties. Stories were told of days past - of rowing across the Voe to attend a dance in a Hall, of Fiddle music played until the following morn, of washing clothes with a hand-cranked mangle 'no need to iron clothes back then!' Of carrying peats in a Kishie basket across the hills, of a time when there was no electricity, of life before 'the oil money came'....Of friends and family and those who had left for America, Canada and New Zealand, of how she met her husband, and life during the war. Sparkly blue eyes, laughing merrily, she waved goodbye, still chatting! She was driven home by her nephew - he is soon to publish a book about their family history. Sure to be a good read!

That's another thing I love about Shetland, I just never know who I'm going to bump into, what stories will be told. Shetlanders always take the time to stop and talk, to share. If you do come on hols here - don't plan your day with military precision, don't rush around the islands - ticking off key attractions (known in New Zealand as a tiki-tour!). Go with the flow. You just never know who you might meet or where the road may lead. After all, fond travel memories are often of the people you met, the conversations you had, rather than the places you visited.

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend.

x

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Da Gairdins website with directions and further information: Click here
• There's a free leaflet with info. available at gates of garden.
• There are picnic tables and many chairs scattered around both gardens
• Opening Times: All year, any time! Donations only (for upkeep and development of gardens. No obligation to contribute). Ruby is usually there during the day. I arrived early afternoon and was still there when she left! Complete freedom to roam. Brilliant.
• If you would like to help Ruby out in the gardens, she's always looking for volunteers!
• A leaflet listing Shetland gardens open to the public is available from the Visitor Centre, Lerwick