A beautiful garden, a wild garden – the inhabitants of Gigha vehemently defend Achamore Gardens against the encroaching wilderness. That’s what makes it so special.
The small island of Gigha off the west coast of Kintyre offers a mild climate and fertile soil. Ideal conditions for a large garden on the former manor of Achamore House.
The changing owners of the house and the entire island certainly thought so too. There were eight owners in the 20th century – some of whom are fondly remembered by the local population. One, however, is still respected today: Sir James Horlick. It was he who had the gardens laid out in their present form.
However, the later owners were not very popular and at some point the islanders had had enough. They initiated a so-called community buyout. Today, the island and gardens belong to the community.
But what should have been a blessing, namely that the island should no longer belong to one person, presented the gardens with a problem. Whereas there were once three main gardeners and twelve assistants looking after the property, there are now a handful of volunteers under expert guidance.
Too few to tame the encroaching nature. And that’s the exciting thing here. Although the volunteers vehemently defend the gardens against nature, some paths and the forest are already overgrown. And in 2025, storm Eowyn caused severe damage. Together with many donors, the volunteers have rebuilt the garden.
Nevertheless, the former showpiece garden is still standing today, even in the autumn of its day.
But this is precisely what makes Achamore Gardens so exciting, giving the gardens an enchanted character.
The walled gardens are still neat and tidy. Mown lawns, painted benches and raked gravel paths. In the centre is the iconic sundial, the visual focal point.
And then there’s the crowning glory: the viewpoint. A few steps up and a view opens up over the west of the island, across to Islay and Jura.
It is precisely because the Achamore Gardens wrestle with the wilderness that they stand out so favourably from the usual meticulously tended gardens. They invite you to wander and, in some places, to linger. This makes them the centrepiece of a visit to the small island of Gigha.
Knowledge: Who made Achamore Gardens great
If you read about Achamore Gardens, the name Sir James Horlick usually comes up. He bought the entire island of Gigha in 1944 and moved into the house. The gardens had previously been maintained as a hunting ground, but Horlick wanted to showcase the rhododendrons here. To do this, he called in help – and this name is already less frequently heard: Kathleen Letitia Lloyd Jones, known as “Kitty”.
It was thanks to this designer that the interests of the collector Horlick were combined with a meaningful garden design. For eight years until 1952, she advised and designed, but also lent a hand to show the assistant gardeners how things should be laid out.
Another interesting name is hidden among the employees of the architectural firm “Honeyman and Keppie”. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who later became a star Scottish architect, is said to have already revealed small influences of his later style in the house.
The house is owned by a Swedish couple. Conferences and weddings can be held there. If you would like to see the interior, you can do so by booking into the bed and breakfast.
Personal note: Cheeky, the cat at the viewpoint
I climb the steps up to the Gardens viewpoint and the first thing I see is a cat. I’m an absolute cat lover, but I came for the view. So I sit down on the bench to enjoy the view. The cat sits on my lap. Perfect!
Unfortunately not quite, because I quickly notice the gaping wound on the cat’s side. She’s not in any pain, but it needs to be treated. The bad thing is that there’s no one here in the garden, no staff.
I leave the cat behind with a heavy heart. But I meet a local woman who is recovering here. She knows the cat and tells me its name: Cheeky. But Cheeky is considered wild. She lives at the viewpoint and doesn’t belong to anyone. So who can help her? The woman, Heather, and I make a plan together to do something – not easy. Because she is restricted herself. There is also no vet on the island.
Our campaign, in which another islander called Marion soon lends a hand, will take several days. But in the end, we managed to catch Cheeky, take her to the vet and – even after I had left the island – look after her.
Cheeky then had a few more years under the care of Marion, a local resident who looked after the cats in the garden. Unfortunately, she is no longer alive.
Directions:
With satnav: “PA41 7AD” will take you to the island and nearby.
Without sat nav: There is only one road on Gigha, which leads either south or north. From the ferry terminal, first go up to the T-junction at the island’s main shop. Turn left here, heading south, past the hotel and up to the road that turns right. Achamore Gardens is already signposted here and you can stop right here in the car park. A small path leads to the information hut with the small “Honesty Box”.
