Gardens: Mertoun exudes classic beauty

At that time the 31-year-old Shetland-born, Auchincruive graduate who was working for the late Peter Buckley, then president of the Royal Horticultural Society, felt he lacked the necessary experience to manage a three-acre walled vegetable garden, plus 21 acres of landscaped lawns, herbaceous borders and an arboretum packed with rare species, including trees dating from the mid 1800s.

Regarding the vegetable garden he says: "I had never grown vegetables on this scale, in fact, it was the first time I had ever seen vegetables grown in such large quantities."

But he did go to have a look and, while wandering round the garden he and the Duchess met by chance. "We struck up a conversation," she explains "and I thought Rupert had all the skills we required." So when he didn't apply she contacted him, and following an interview, the job was his. "It's a new beginning for us both," she adds, explaining that she is still finding out new things about the garden despite having lived at Mertoun for ten years. "I feel we are learning together," she says.

For his part Rupert was delighted with this old-fashioned southwest sloping garden where the lower ground falls steeply away into an orchard planted with mature, sculptural apple trees, underplanted with a succession of spring bulbs. "I was attracted to this garden by its lovely, flowing style," he says. "Plants aren't restricted but are allowed to do what they naturally would. For example, the climbers over the wall at the foot of the orchard are allowed to romp. It's not in any way chaotic, but lightly managed."

This abundant style of large areas devoted to vegetables combined with herbaceous borders, cutting flowers and fruit trees is contained within an old, established layout of box-edged paths that has at its heart a central path lined with parallel rows of mature apple trees.

Rupert, his Dutch-born wife Wilma, and no doubt their two-year-old son Sam, were also entranced by Old Mertoun House, the late 17th-century sandstone house, now the head gardener's cottage, and a spectacular feature of the Walled Garden. "I always chuckle when letters come addressed to Gardener's Cottage," he says. Gravel paths wind round the garden, opening up into surprises, such as an autumn bed, planted with sedums, salvias and grasses alive with insects and butterflies. Colour comes from dahlias, including a striking double row of light-pink dahlia, "Goya's Gem" combined with darker "Mertoun". There is also a dramatic pool of wine-red "Nuit d'Ete". Rows of pink, blue and purple sweet peas are also grown and picked daily along with chrysanthemums and white Galtonia.

The garden is managed along traditional lines that Rupert has sought to continue as far as possible. Years of constant maintenance and the continual addition of farmyard manure has resulted in fertile, free-draining soil.

"This has been a productive garden for such a long time," he says, "good husbandry is important to avoid pests and diseases. We work on prevention rather than cure." Crops are grown in a five-year rotation, and are arranged by plant groups of root, leaf, brassica, onion family and legume.

"Legumes, such as peas and beans are good for fixing nitrogen into the soil," he says adding that carrots and onions are planted close together to throw carrot fly off the scent. The ornamental flowers grown in the garden ensure beneficial insects are attaracted in.

The garden is kept weed-free by regular hoeing and weeding whenever anyone has five or ten minutes to spare. "I encourage everyone to grab a hoe if they have ten minutes before lunch, especially on a hot day when the soil is light, or to take a wheelbarrow when harvesting so they can pull up a few weeds at the same time," Rupert says. "'One year's weed is seven years' seed', is a favourite saying at Mertoun."

The low retaining walls at the top of the garden are lined with espaliered redcurrants, kept lightly pruned to allow the sun to ripen the fruit. Plums and quince grow up the walls while other soft fruit, such as a succession of raspberries, logan berries and tayberries are dotted throughout the garden.

Traditional methods of cultivation are continued into the large range of glasshouses, which although closed to visitors for reasons of safety, can be viewed through open doors. Here are breathtaking peaches, tomatoes and stands of geraniums, pelargonium, including the deep-red, stately "Lord Bute" and deep-purple streptocarpus "Bristol's Blackbird".

Traditionally a fleet of staff would have managed a garden of this size and detail. These days, just two gardeners, Rupert, and Cuillin Rae manage it, with the help of a groundsman.

Mertoun is widely recognised as a fine example of traditional gardening at its best and the team responsible for looking after it are keen to share it with the public.

Groups like the one from the St Boswells Primary School, who were on a tour during my visit are welcome.

Rupert says: "The Walled Kitchen Garden is very much an example of what gardening used to be, it would be a shame to lose all these traditions and skills." Under his watchful eye this is unlikely to happen.

Mertoun Gardens, St Boswells, Roxburghshire are open to the public every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, April-September, 2pm-6pm and also for groups by appointment. Tel: 01835 823236 or visit www.mertoungardens.com Mertoun House is not open to the general public.

This article was first published in The Scotsman on Saturday, 18 September, 2010