Abbotsford House

Melrose, UK

Steeped in history and intrigue, Abbotsford House is a baronial estate that lies on the edge of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders. It just so happens to also be the former residence of Sir Walter Scott, the historical novelist and poet who revolutionised the nineteenth century literary scene with his acclaimed novel, Waverley.

In his spare time Scott also possessed a great outdoor passion for forestry and tree-planning, and liked to break away from writing to turn his hand to horticulture. Much of the walled gardens and wider estate that he cultivated are to this day still fundamentally his own work.

Earlier this year UFO was approached by the Abbotsford Trust, the charitable organisation that manages Scott's former estate, and asked to supply and install an energy efficient lighting system that would enhance and light the impressive archways and historical carvings that are scattered throughout the estate's beautiful, large walled gardens.

In keeping with the Trust's request for energy efficiency, we utilised our new LP6 LED paver and installed forty of the low power fittings in the base of the archways that line the garden's pathways. The fittings' warm white colour temperature with colour rendering of 80, blends perfectly with the dramatic backdrop of Abbotsford house.

The stone carvings that are scattered throughout the grounds of the estate are illuminated with our new LB1 LED light. Fifty of the articulated lights have been used and like the LP6s, these lights have also been specified with the warm white colour temperature to add an element of mystique to the gardens.