NTS and Friends of Crarae work to restore garden after 2023 flooding

Sink holes appeared in the gardens and several trees were lost. Paths throughout the site were badly affected, with the woodland garden being of particular concern due to many unstable slopes.

But a repair plan is under way and the Friends of Crarae volunteer gardener group had a guided walk recently to view progress.

The devastation was such that the much-loved gardens have been closed to visitors indefinitely throughout the winter.

A combination of landslides, flooding and erosion when the Crarae Burn burst its banks resulted in the closure for safety reasons.

Sink holes appeared in the gardens and several trees were lost. Paths throughout the site were badly affected, with the woodland garden being of particular concern due to many unstable slopes.

But a repair plan is under way and the Friends of Crarae volunteer gardener group had a guided walk recently to view progress.

NTS is busy planning for rerouting or creating new trails to join up with the wider path network.

A spokeswoman for the Friends of Crarae said: “Thankfully, the areas east side of the burn and to the west of the forest track were largely unaffected by the deluge. The gardeners will need to work with other teams to complete this work.

“The waterfall bridge remains out of action but will be replaced in the new year and the top bridge needs some more repairs before the east garden is accessible. The lower bridge will have to be removed, its concrete supports are too damaged and the bank eroded beyond repair.”

The local garden team have reinstated crossroads and created a diversion from parts of the forest track that have been washed away.

Other general maintenance and improvements have been continuing. Radical pruning has taken place creating new viewpoints and new plants are arriving at the greenhouse.

Tim Keyworth, gardens and landscapes manager for NTS, said: “The good news is that much of the planting and the collection, which is so important to the garden, remains largely intact.

“With more storms and extreme weather events on the horizon due to climate change, the sad reality is much of our natural heritage is under threat. We’re entering a time of adaption at Crarae Garden and probably at many of our other designed landscapes.

“The trust is making strategic decisions to create long-term practical solutions in mitigation of and adaption to gardening in a changing climate so we can ensure these special places will be here for future generations to experience.”

The trust is seeking donations to help it respond to extreme weather events. Visit the website for more information.