Culzean Castle is a scattered building, in the mixed style of the architect Adams, placed on the brow of an irregular lofty cliff washed by the sea. Nothing can exceed the grandeur of the situation; and the buildings, taking them as a whole, and speaking without reference to the correctness of architectural details, are varied and picturesque. None of the approaches are, however, judiciously conducted either for displaying the beauties of the place, or for easy conveyance. There is a great extent of garden scenery, and a very large kitchen- garden. The whole is remarkably well kept by the gardener, Mr. Heppell, though evidently with the greatest difficulty, from a deficiency of hands. Mr. Heppell had in his hot-house crops of pines, grapes, and peaches, which were not surpassed by any we saw in Scotland: indeed, taking size, quantity, and flavour jointly into consideration, we think they were the best we saw any where north of Knowlesley Park. But that which, in respect to horticulture, renders the kitchen-garden at Culzean more especially worthy of attention, is, the excellent crops of grapes obtained in the pine stoves, in the manner which we have noticed (Vol. VII. p. 411. and p. 539.) as practised at Trentham, Tatton Park, and other places in England. The grass edgings to the walks, and groups of flowers on the lawn, were, generally speaking, entirely to our taste. The young plantations were in a ruinous state, for want of thinning, but we have no room here for details. [Editor's Note (2005) Culzean was converted by the architect Robert Adam as a bachelor residence for the Earl of Cassillis, between 1777 and 1792. It is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland]
