Angus's Garden

Low cloud making a gloomy day, but only on the outside. This afternoon we made a visit which lifted our spirits.

Not far from Barguillean Farm in Glen Lonan, Argyll, Betty MacDonald created this 9 acre woodland garden in memory of her son, Angus, who died aged 28 in 1956. Angus was in Cyprus working as a journalist, during the Suez War, covering the Alexandria landings for the Cyprus Times when was shot by a Cypriot terrorist. By one of those coincidences that take on an aura of being 'meant', the loch was already called Loch Angus, named after the first keeper at Barguillean Farm and Betty decided to create a garden around it. It's a pretty special place, full of peace and winter beauty.

This small statue of ducks fools the eye as you approach, known as Josephine's ducks. Josephine, who died prematurely, was a granddaughter of Angus's parents Neil and Betty. Josephine's will provided for a family trust to maintain the garden.

You might like to know that Betty lived to see the garden come to maturity, working on it every afternoon for 40 years. The information board says she was to be found, well into her 80's, 'brashing the conifers.' Brashing had to be looked up, apparently it's cutting back woodland with a machete or mattock! Her aim was not a manicured garden, but a landscape that was enhanced. A wonderful memorial to her son