I think a word of warning is necessary before you read this article because it’s not going to leave you any happier, in fact I think when you’re done reading you are probably just as upset as I am. Why, you might wonder? What can be so terrible on this Jura Blog to upset you. After all, the Island is a wee bit of heaven, its inhabitants are friendly, the landscape is breathtaking, it’s quiet, there are beautiful unspoilt beaches, thousands of red deer live here, George Orwell wrote his book, the island produces superb malt whiskies and Golden Eagles frequent the skies…. What in heaven’s name can be wrong?
Well, one of the problems on Jura is the garden. As you probably know Jura House Garden was an important asset for Jura and it was highly appreciated by its many annual visitors. You noticed the word was… well that’s the problem, it was an important asset and the way things look now the temporary closure seems to become a permanent one, all orchestrated, I assume, by the new owner Mr. Greg Coffey who by the way has only visited his property twice since he bought it in November 2010.
The first signal I received about a permanent closure was an alarming picture of the welcome sign of the garden which stood proudly besides the only road on the island near the entrance. That very welcome sign ended up last November in the annual Jura Bonfire at the hotel on Nov 5th (first picture). Now that was not a good sign (excuse the pun) but there is more bad news.
Recently I received information from someone, who likes to stay anonymous, that the word on the island is that the gardens will now remain permanently closed. No announcement has been made, but the sources are reliable. Also, the signs on the road outside the gardens have all been removed, and the gate to the path through the woods leading to the garden has been removed and a new stone wall has been built (see picture).
Needless to say that this is a terrible blow for the island. On the one hand many people are doing so much to try and attract people to Jura and on the other hand a major tourist attraction has been shut down which will have a bad effect on the already fragile island economy. Please leave your (constructive) comments, possible suggestions for the future and good memories of the beautiful gardens below.
That is really sad news. I visited 11 years ago & I have very fond memories of the flower meadow & a superb piece of Victoria sponge.
How sad that the owner doesn’t see to understand the impact it will have on the community. I will keep my fingers crossed that he reconsiders.
Hi – I’m doing some research on Jura House Gardens and was wondering if there were ever any printed materials published describing the gardens and the variety flora growing in the gardens. Is anyone aware of whether there was ever a catalogue kept of the plantings? thank you very much.
Am very sad to hear this.
Nearly every visitor to the island passes the garden and will probably visit it either way to or from the ferry.
I have purchased many exotic seeds there which flourish in the Cumbrian climate and taken many fantastic photographs of the garden.
I too hope the new owner can find a suitable compromise and realise the folly of his decision
This seems very short-sighted on the part of the owner of Jura House, and very sad that he has not taken on the traditional responsibilities of ownership.
My family and I have been visiting the gardens at Jura House for over 20 years, and they have always been an essential part of a visit to the island.
Hopefully he will reconsider when he reflects on the negative impact this decision will have on the other tourist-dependant businesses on the island.
I may be wrong (hope so) but I fear the hopes that Mr Coffey might reconsider his decision are likely to be in vain. Having initially stated that he would re-open the gardens this year, he has now changed his mind. Which seems to be quite a considered decision.
So why has he changed his mind? Is it to protect his privacy? Hardly – he’s so busy making money that so far he has only found time to visit his property twice! I can only assume that he’s simply waving two fingers at the protesters. Not that Jura’s residents have been complaining – they have been admirably restrained about it, publicly at least.
It is indeed a sad story 🙁
I think you’ll find that stopping up the gate in the wall and preventing access to the non-curtilage sections of the gardens is illegal under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act…if you’ve got concerns, contact Argyll & Bute Council’s Access Officer. It may be that if he’s forcedto allow access into certain sections of the gardens, he’ll see the sense in opening it all up……
My step dad owned jura house and garden. Alex Riley Smith. I visited the house every summer from the age off 4. I know that the Riley Smith family really did try to look for someone to take over the house and garden who would care for it and the island. The new owner lied about his intent or Alex would have never agreed to the sale. Alex has since passed away. I give my heart felt apology that things have turned out this way. Jura was my heaven. I had no influence in the sale. And I am sorry other people have to mourn the loss of jura house and garden like I do.
My gran worked for the Riley-Smith family in Tadcaster, probably late 40’s / early 50s, and they used to take her to Jura with them when they went. She had such lovely memories of working for them and visiting Jura!
Like a lot of wealthy land lords who buy property on Jura they do so as they don’t expect or want tourists that’s the main attraction they see it as being their paradise away from the masses.
Over seven generations of my family have lived on Jura and I remember as a youngster the excitement of seeing a strange car as tourists were very rare and that’s how the lairds liked it. Tho idyllic it’s not very healthy Jura needs visitors and they need something to do while there.
A branch of my family originally came from Jura, but we think they left in the early 19th century. I will be coming to Jura for a few days in late September and look forward to meeting the locals. I would love to learn more about the island and it’s people. As for the gardens, this is tragic. Although if it is an absent landlord, perhaps I can scale the fence and see them anyway.
I had the good fortune to visit Jura House in 1987 and again in 2004 when I took a few photos posted at http://www.unc.edu/~hallman/scotland/jura-house.html
Would it be possible for somebody else to plant a beautiful garden in Jura? It may be that the owner can no longer afford to keep up the gardens…. But looking at all the pictures of Jura, it looks like the island could use another garden or too, no matter how small.
Very disappointed to hear the news of the garden as we were told how magical it was. We enjoyed our first trip to Jura however, but felt very frustrated that there wasn’t a Visitor centre where we could have read about the geology, flora,wildlife and history. This would have completed our visit. It’s not the same coming back and searching through the internet for info.
I am hugely disappointed that the new owner has closed the garden. All the people I’ve talked to who have been to Jura told me about the garden and how stunning it is and how we must go to see it when we visit Jura, for the first time, in June. How short sighted of him. I feel very sorry for Jura people, to have to live with this wasted asset.
Malcolm Tarbert
I’m an American by birth but my heart belongs to Scotland. My family have
been in the U.S. for four generations. I don’t know where my longing to return
as a new citizen to Scotland. It’s always be there I guess. I have visited Jura
several times and have walked the road on top of the hill to the back side
and climbed the fence on the Tarbert estate. I too wish to see Jura prosper
and see tourism return to the Island. There’s nothing to bring folks there
except the distillery. At 82, my time here on earth is going to be rather limited
I still want independence for the homeland but see only partial freedoms
bring back shipping or industry back leaving its citizens making a fair wage.
Loving ones heredity isn’t enough. I only wish I was 40 again. I’d have enough
time to become a citizen to a country that I love. met