I’ve always thought of Pitmedden Garden as a hidden gem in Aberdeenshire.
The National Trust site which is only a short drive from Ellon, may not be as obviously beautiful, in comparison to the likes of Crathes Castle or Drum.
It’s altogether more understated, and the stunning walled gardens are the jewel in the crown.
From almost six miles of neatly clipped box hedging to an orchard with more than 200 fruit trees, this colourful and peaceful spot is well worth a visit.
And even if you declare yourself not a fan of gardens, there’s a peaceful woodland trail which currently makes for an intensely aromatic experience thanks to the endless swathes of wild garlic growing.
The history is also fascinating, with parts of the garden dating back to 1675.
The layout has since been redesigned with a huge focus on sustainability.
If you don’t manage to visit on a sunny day, all is not lost.
The Venue: The Orchard Tea Rooms at Pitmedden Gardens
For overlooking the gardens is a wonderful tea room, which is just the right mix of grand and inviting.
Named The Orchard Tea Rooms, I had always been curious having moved to the area from the city two years ago.
The spot is accessed via a one way road just off the A920, and is clearly signposted.
Upon arrival, we discovered that you have to pay for parking, which is pretty common at a time when many national trust sites are also feeling the pinch.
Having met up with my in-laws who I would describe as tech savvy, we all found the parking metre machine quite difficult to work.
There’s no option to select a certain time frame, it’s a standard £3 which we assumed would cover us for the day.
Great value if you plan on staying that long, not so great if you’re only nipping in for an hour as we were.
The tea room was empty when we arrived, and we stood awkwardly at the counter in the hope that a member of staff would appear.
A young server was taking her lunch break and apologised, before popping behind the till.
She seemed a bit unsure of the set-up in general, but we found our way to the best seat in the house.
Take my advice and forego the initial room where the tempting cake display is, in favour of heading through to the beautiful dining room complete with a high ceiling.
There’s a charming fireplace, sash windows and just an overall lovely feel to the place.
To the menu and after a not so promising start, things seemed to be looking up.
There’s a good selection from cooked breakfasts, tattie scone served with avocado and poached eggs, plus plenty of toasties and even a specials menu.
It seems like the team have really sat down and considered the offering, with plenty of Scottish ingredients to boot.
The food
My father in law settled on the home made Scotch egg served with a house salad and ruby slaw, whilst my mother in law fancied the soup of the day which was cream of parsnip and potato.
My five year old unsurprisingly asked for a kid’s box, although there was no detail on the menu of what this contained.
I rightly assumed the normal kid’s fodder, sandwich and snack type items.
My eye was caught by the crispy bacon and chutney panini, complete with Isle of Kintyre brie.
No sooner had we ordered and the food seemed to arrive, making it to the table before our hot drinks.
I can’t say corners were cut however, as all the dishes were beautifully presented and piping hot.
The coffees arrived shortly afterwards, and my in-laws who are slight coffee snobs said the blend was deliciously smooth.
Both my son and I settled on hot chocolates with cream and marshmallows, no complaints there.
Onto the food, and my panini was delicious.
The brie oozed out as I discovered to my cost, and the bacon was beautifully crispy.
It wasn’t over-stuffed, a pet hate of mine, and it was served with some crunchy vegetable crisps and a leafy salad with dressing.
My mother in law is considered chief soup maker in the family, so her verdict could go either way.
The soup was served with a cheese straw artfully arranged across the bowl, plus a white roll and butter.
A few hesitant spoonful’s and all was well.
She described it as creamy and without the overpowering root vegetable taste which can sometimes crop up with parsnip.
The flaky cheese straw was also a nice touch.
I think the star of the culinary show was the home-made Scotch egg however.
My father in law is picky, perhaps because he’s been married to an excellent cook for several decades.
The sausage meat was deliciously moist and the cabbage slaw added some extra crunch on the side.
Not a morsel was left on the plate, enough said.
You can’t go to a national trust tea room without sampling a fine piece or two, and we headed back to the counter to make our selection.
Grandmother and grandson alike, they selected a delicately iced butterfly cake which was served with fresh berries.
I selected a sponge finger with dainty chocolate icing, and my father in law had a chocolate muffin.
The staff informed me that only the muffin wasn’t made in house, and the home-made sponge was wonderfully light and springy.
The verdict
Overall we really enjoyed our meal, and I would put teething problems down to the fact that the Pitmedden Garden tea room has only just reopened for the season.
It’s not the cheapest lunch out by any means, but the surroundings really do make up for it.
The tea room offers the most beautiful spot where you can take in history, and if you’re lucky enough to go on a quiet day, the bird song is really quite something.
Information
Address: Pitmedden Garden & Museum of Farming Life, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, AB41 7PD
T: 01651 842352
W: Nts.org.uk/visit/places/pitmedden-garden/planning-your-visit
Price: £58 for four lattes, two hot chocolates, one kid’s box, three mains, four traybakes
The Orchard Tea Room is currently open Thursday-Sunday.
