The grounds of Ellon Castle is an extraordinary example of diverse yew morphology in what is, on paper, an identical habitat for the 19 yews in the grove. There is little consistency between the ten main yews – some layer, some don’t, some exhibit fluted trunks, others have bulges and excrescences, and bark textures and colours show considerable differences. The grove also shows how some have suffered and recovered from, for example, storm damage and responded in individual ways. No doubt girth measurements noticeably vary and Ellon castle demonstrates once more the yew confounds our expectations of how a yew ‘should’ grow and proves again how individual yew trees are in reacting to changes both to the tree itself and in their immediate habitat. Staff advised the yews are thought to be 500 years old. Management of the site puts the yews at the centre and there are gravel pathways to help minimise root compression closer to the yews. Yew hedging in the grounds is also being restored.
Ellon Castle Gardens is managed by the community and volunteers . There are also some wonderful events arranged that happen in amongst the grove at different times of the year – please visit their website for further information and also more information about the history of the site.