Harmony On The Hillside

A remarkable wooded hillside garden in Scotland looks just as good in midwinter as it does during the summer months

- Fiona Cumberpatch

On a winter’s day with the sun rising pink and golden across the River Tay, Ray and Penny Cox’s south-facing garden is a magical sight. The pines are dusted with snow, and frosty branches of shrubs and deciduous trees create shapes and textures in the rolling landscape. Although there’s a level area immediately outside the house, 80 per cent of the garden is on a slope, situated on the side of the Sidlaw Hills in Perthshire.

“The views immediately attracted us when we first saw this house,” says Ray. “There was no doubt it was a stunning location, but we had to weigh up the pros and cons of gardening on a hill. On top of that, our predecessors hadn’t looked after it well, so we knew that it was going to be a big challenge.”

Rather than thinking of the area as a whole, which seemed too daunting, Ray and Penny worked on the garden bit by bit, allowing it to evolve. Initially helped by Ray’s mum, Patricia, a horticulturist, they’ve gradually tamed the wildest areas, while retaining the natural beauty of the landscape.