Castle Garden of Water to Beyond
A castle has stood on this site at Cramond since medieval times, but after its almost total destruction it was rebuilt in 1590 and later extended.
Lauriston Castle, Cramond, Edinburgh
The last private owner of Lauriston Castle was William Reid who purchased it at the beginning of the 20th century. Reid owned a highly regarded cabinet making business in Edinburgh and he and his wife installed modern amenities and filled the building with fine furniture and artworks.
The castle is now in the care of the City of Edinburgh and, as it remains as it was on Mrs Reid’s death in 1926, gives a fascinating glimpse into upper class Edwardian life in a country house in Scotland.
Lauriston Castle grounds looking out over the Firth of Forth
The extensive grounds, which contain a bluebell wood and three croquet lawns, look out over the Firth of Forth. In more recent times (2002) the garden saw a new addition – a Japanese garden built by Takashi Sawano. The Edinburgh-Kyoto Friendship Garden is called the Castle Garden of Water to Beyond.
Water and shrubs at the Edinburgh-Kyoto Friendship Garden
Japanese Bridge at Lauriston Castle’s Japanese Garden
Stone Lantern in Lauriston Castle’s Japanese Garden
Many Japanese trees and shrubs fare well in Scottish gardens, as do those from the Himalayas, so the little taster of Japan with its water, raked gravel, standing stones and stone lanterns, wooden bridge and benches, cherry blossom and careful planting of shrubs and greenery sits well in its setting by the old castle and the Forth.
A blast of apricot to catch the eye
Peonies adding a splash of colour and exoticism.
Cherry blossom floating in water as if mirroring the trees in the pond.
Looking over the gravel garden.
I am me. For more click image.
jingsandthings 
How lovely! An out of the ordinary find or rather expectation in an ancient Scottish castle grounds. Must surprise the odd tourist. Such a lovely name too. Thanks for sharing!
I suspect many people who live in and around Edinburgh don’t know of it either. But it’s a lovely tranquil place, not far from the city hustle and bustle, to enjoy a stroll, and you can pop down to the beach for a wander afterwards.
Simply beautiful! Great flowers too, I’d love to visit. Weather must be as I like it too 😀
Visitors don’t come to Scotland for the weather, not unless they like unsettled weather, not particularly hot, and inclined to rain or be dull. Sometimes though it can surprise and send us all scurrying for garden sunshades and sun cream. But the climate shapes our landscape – and that is something to be proud of.
It’s a variety from sunny and insanely hot for 10 months, I’ll go for it 🙂
This is the best time of year to come as evenings are long. It is light to nearly eleven and the further north you travel the longer it is light. Then after a brief period of darkness it’s back to bright daylight. Of course in winter it’s the opposite.
Sounds beautiful, have you photographed it before?
Yes. We first visited in early autumn when we came across it. We hadn’t known about it before. I didn’t take many photos as it was late in the day so the colours were muted, apart from the scarlet of many leaves, with lots of long shadows across the raked garden. Quite dramatic.
Quite enchanting. If you ever post it here, I’m sure I’ll end up seeing it.
How exciting! I love castles.
Fun to wander around and fantasise in but pretty cold and draughty and inconvenient to stay in. They don’t tend to modernise very well, and in Scotland you’re still left with all those turnpike stairs between floors. The more modern ones might be an option. Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House near Helensburgh, for instance, would be a fabulous place to stay, even if you didn’t have any of the original furnishings.
Now I know where to go when I am travelling up north. Thank you 🙂
Have a happy day
Klausbernd from sunny Norfolk
I hope you make it north from Norfolk sometime.
Your wonderful photos entice me to visit Edinburgh. When I see and read your blog, I just yearn to visit Scotland. A Japanese garden on castle grounds, how wonderful.
Hope you will make it to Scotland. We’re gearing up for the festival season now with jazz, films, books and culture by the barrowload.