Why we love Inverewe

Transcript

9 voices: Kevin Ball [KB]; Kevin Doidge [KD]; Jacqui [J]; Cassie Cowie [CC]; 3 visitors [V1, V2, V3]; Gareth [G]; Martin Hughes [MH]

[KB]
My name is Kevin Ball.
I've worked here as Head Gardener since 2006.
Inverewe Garden is very special and it's been in the care of the National Trust for Scotland since 1952.
Inverewe is very special because of its location. It was founded by Osgood Mackenzie in 1862-1863. He chose this particular site because of the beautiful views over to the Torridonian hills but also he recognised the actual possibilities of what could be grown here.
He started by creating a shelterbelt to protect Inverewe House and the walled garden, and that was his woodland shelterbelt. It was only in the 1890s that he started to cut pockets within that shelterbelt and plant exotic trees, and he was just amazed by how they responded to the climate.
I love the fact that we grow so many different species of plants. I’d say I'm a plantsman -- I enjoy plants. It's really rewarding from the aspect of you can come in and there's always something of interest. And it's great to see other people enjoying the garden.

[KD]
My name is Kevin Doidge. I'm a First Gardener at Inverewe Garden.
I love Inverewe Garden because of the vast diversity of plants that we can grow here. This garden is so fortunate to have the Gulf Stream, which brings a milder weather, which allows us to grow plants from all over the world. From places like Sri Lanka, Brazil, Canary Islands, India, Australia, Mexico -- pretty much every country in the world is represented at Inverewe Garden.
That's an amazing thing to have in a garden that's in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.

[J]
I'm Jacqui.
I work at Inverewe between both restaurants, and I've worked here for 27 years. I love working here because I am 5th generation of my family to work here, and it's something I'm hugely proud of.
No two days are the same at Inverewe.
One of the biggest sellers I would say is probably the scones. People come from all over, and sometimes I do three different flavours. It's about a hundred of each and sometimes they sell out by lunchtime -- they’re that popular!

[CC]
I’m Cassie Cowie.
I am the Walled Gardener at Inverewe Garden here on the west coast of Scotland.
This walled garden has been here since the 1860s and it's been almost in constant productive state since then. The walled garden is essentially the most formal part of Inverewe Garden. The rest of it is like a wild woodland garden but in here it is very formal, very strict and very productive.
What do I love about Inverewe Garden? For me, initially when I got here it was just the location: it’s location, location, location here. And then once I was here, I met one of the assistant gardeners. And after about six months, we got together and then last year we got married, just across the loch on the other side of the loch here.

[V1]
I love Inverewe Garden because of the views and such a variety of plants.

[V2]
The rhododendrons, and just the whole setting is just absolutely beautiful. We have been coming here for many years and it has to be one of the top gardens we've seen.

[G]
I'm Gareth.
I'm the Invasive Non-native Species Ranger here at Inverewe Garden and Estate.
I’ve always loved this part of the world. I’ve always come here on holidays.
I’m an ecologist and a conservationist but I've also trained in horticulture, so the combination of the conservation side of my job with the horticulture in the garden and trying to manage where those two things meet is a fascinating part of my work.
I’m enjoying it very much.

[MH]
My name’s Martin Hughes.
I’m the Operations Manager here at Inverewe Garden.
There’s so many reasons why I love this place but I think the main reason is the peace and tranquillity you get when you come to Inverewe. Everything slows down in your life -- you don't think about the bills, you don't think about what to do tomorrow; you just enjoy the moment and wander round this fantastic garden.

[V3]
Well, we first came here over 30 years ago just before we got married and always meant to come back because we just had this memory of spectacular rhododendrons, azaleas, beautiful views ...
So this is us 30 years later and it's even better than we remember! There's so much more to it -- just stunningly pretty. The scenery is spectacular and a diverse collection of species.
It’s just brilliant.