I pay a visit to the Craigieburn Himalayan Garden and Nursery 10 minutes out of Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway. Around the six and a half acres site are various plants trees and bushes, Tibetan prayer flags and small shrines.
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| Dawa Sherpa |
The garden was established by Dawa Sherpa, a great, great nephew of Tensing Sherpa who conquered Everest along with Edmund Hillary. (Dawa has climbed to the summit of Everest three times and led various groups to the base camps). After coming to Scotland, Dawa studied horticulture and worked unceasingly to create the various areas including herb, rose, bog and fern gardens. A woodland garden contains a variety of Himalayan blue poppies.
Waterfalls feed Craigie Burn which runs along the length of the garden on the western border. Other features are a Sherpa bothy, an ice house and a large area containing free-ranging hens and ducks. The air is permeated with the fresh smells of the earth and the scent of the various flowers.
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| Meconopsis |
Several types of Himalayan blue poppies are scattered here and there over the northern end of the garden. There are also giant lilies, candelabra primulas, peonies, magnolias and orchids. At the entrance, Wyndham Lewis's triffids in the shape of a giant Brazilian rhubarb came to mind.
After our sojourn around the grounds, Dawa's wife, An Diki, brought us into the house, originally a gatekeeper's lodge at the entrance to the estate, and fed us a potato and mushroom dish garnished with fennel and washed down with clear spring water. Looking around the main room and above the main fireplace containing a wood-burning stove is the main shrine with seven copper bowls and a buddha at the centre. On either side are various tea-sets and a top row containing bottles of wines and spirits.
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| The Shrine to Buddha |
All the plants at the entrance are grown by Dawa and his wife and are for sale to the public according to the seasons.
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| An Diki Sherpa |
All photos and text: Yeshe Dorje
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