0 Edzell Castle and Gardens

 Edzell Castle sits almost halfway between Dundee and Aberdeen, just Northwest of Montrose.

Built by the Lindsay family in the 16th century, it replaced a 12th century structure also called Edzell Castle that stood just under 1000 feet from the current Edzell's location.

The red sandstone brick of the North range really stands out against the bright blue sky!

While it's ruins are comparable to many medieval castles, Edzell is best known for its fantastic garden, laid out in 1604.

 Overlooking the garden, from the Tower House. 

 The gardens are magnificently sculpted.  The hedges read "Dum Spiro Spero", the Lindsay family motto,  "While I breathe, I hope" followed by "Endure Forte".

 The walls' checkered alcoves and planters are representative of the "fess chequey", part of the armorial design of the Lindsays.  According to historians the solid checks would have been painted bright blue and the flowers in the alcoves would have been white or silver (or vice-versa).  Above each "fess chequey" is a seven-rayed star.  

 Each wall of the garden depicts a series of relief carvings, with space for sculptures in alcoves along the top of the east and south walls.

The east wall's carvings are of the seven planetary deities.  Mars is shown above.

 The seven liberal arts line the south wall- this is Geometria.

 The east wall is seen, with the south wall to the right.

 The west wall shows the seven cardinal virtues- Fortitudo is depicted here.

 I made Paul pick a relief to copy, too, but he won't let me post it (party pooper, I know).  

I'm attempting Mercury's unbalanced stance.

I wanted you to take note of the bright blue sky in the above images because that quickly changed- this dark cloud rolled in right as we left!