Send flowers to Galashiels, Scottish Borders

Flower Delivery to Galashiels by Clare Florist

Lying in the narrow valley of the Gala Water is Galashiels, a burgh right at the heart of the Scottish Borders. It is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders and is very much known for textile making. In fact, the School of Textiles and Design of Heriot-Watt University is located here.

The name “Galashiels” is derived from “shiels” or “shielings” which mean dwellings. “Shiel” or “Shielings” is usually preceded by a place or personal name. This makes the meaning of Galashiel “dwellings by the Gala Water.”

The first recorded reference of Galashiel happened during the reign of David I in 1124. The name of the town was contained in a charter, but it was referred to as Galche.

Blind Harry first mentioned Gala Hill in his writings in 1296. He was referring to the pursuit of Cospatrick – the Earl of Dunbar who has taken refuge on the top of Gala Hill – by William Wallace.

Sir James Douglas (later the Earl of Douglas) was granted Ettrick Forest by Robert the Bruce in 1321. The Earls of Douglas had a strong tower called Hunters Hall in Galashiels in what is now Glebe Street.

Textile manufacturing has been around in the town since 1585. The growth of the textile industry led to the rapid growth of the town’s population. The number of people in town further increased when the railway came to town in 1849.

The period between 1850 and 1880 were the wealthiest for the town before the textile industry eventually declined. A lot of families lost sons to World War I, and without any successors, their business began to fade. However, textile remained to be a source of income up to the Second World War.

In the 1960's, electronic factories were established in town as one of the ways to create a more balanced economy.

Without question, one of the sights that draw a lot of tourist attention is the Bank Street Gardens . It is a place where Galashiels flowers are aplenty. It was a gift to the Galashiels Town Council after the Second World War. Other than that, here are other sites that are worth visiting:

Old Gala House – This was the home of the Lairds of Gala for several centuries. Now, it serves as a museum and art gallery set in landscaped gardens. Here, you can discover the story of the house, its inhabitants, and the early development of Galashiels in general. Not only that, the property is also blessed to have pleasant gardens where you can find an abundant collection of flowers in Galashiels.

War Memorial – This is basically an equestrian statue of a Border Reiver, a raider along the Anglo-Scottish border from the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The statue depicts a 17th century Border Reiver soldier mounted on a horse. The memorial was the work of a local sculptor called Thomas Clapperton.

One notable event in town is the Braw Lads Gathering which is celebrated during the last week of June each year. It was started in 1930 so the townspeople can come together and celebrate their long and colourful history.

The poet Robert Burns wrote two poems about Galashiels namely “Sae Fair Her Hair” and “Braw Lads.”

Given that Galashiels is located in the very romantic Scottish Borders, the town makes a great destination for couples at whatever stages of their relationship. If you want to surprise your significant other with blossoms, there are shops to choose from, or if you prefer, you can send flowers to Galashiels to make the occasion even more wonderful.