The big day has finally arrived, the day we head to the airport and prepare to arrive in Edinburgh (pronounced “edin-burra”) tomorrow morning.
Our group consists of 23 garden enthusiasts, mostly from central Missouri with a few friends in Chicago, Chillicothe, Florida, and Maine. Thirteen of our group have been on one of our garden tours before, so we will enjoy catching up and making more memories in the gardens of this northern clime.
Why Scotland for a garden tour? Even though this country is north of England and at the 56th parallel (equivalent to Hudson Bay and southern Alaska), it lies in the path of the Gulf Stream keeping the countryside warm enough to support plant life that we see only in the southern US. Though the frequent rains are good for gardens, it is the strong winds that are their gardening challenge.
As much as the Scottish proclaim their individuality from England, the influence from their southern neighbors is very strong. I expect to see the typical “English garden” as we travel, though maybe in a smaller scale.
We also expect to see and hear much about the history of Scotland, as we are visiting sites like Stirling Castle (William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, as well as many of the royal families), Culloden (site of the great Jacobite battle in 1746), Clava Cairns (a Neolithic burial site), the Edinburgh Castle (and more in this capital city), Loch Ness, and much more to be discovered.
So…on to final packing and errand running. Much to do before we catch our first plane. Next post will be from Edinburgh, after visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens.
