The garden at Stobshiel House is effectively split into four main parts viz., the walled garden, the shrubbery, the pond and lawns and the woodland areas. Each area is laid out and planted to provide the visitor with all year round interest from swathes of aconites, snowdrops and narcissi in spring to a vast array of perennials, roses, clematis and annuals throughout summer and autumn. The extensive collection of shrubs and mature trees offer a fantastic backdrop during all seasons.

Impressive five-acre garden with a large collection of mature shrubs, including over 200 rhododendron species, many camellias, magnolias including campbellii, embothriums, leptospermums, olearias, myrtles, telopeas, perennials, over 200 hydrangeas and many other rare Southern Hemisphere plants. The garden has several interesting paths and is on a hillside running along the rocky shore of the Dee Estuary in Kirkcudbright Bay. 

This is a long, sloping and terraced garden at over 800 feet in the Braes of Angus, developed to be a garden for all seasons. Half is dominated by bulbs, rhododendrons, azaleas, primulas, meconopsis and clematis. The other half is mainly later summer bulbs, herbaceous plants and roses. There is also a rockery/scree.

A unique garden at the centre of a biodynamic farm on the Island of Lismore in the Inner Hebrides. The garden created from a field has a strong geometric layout that reflects the ecclesiastical history of the island. It has a vegetable garden, a tree nursery, a physic garden, an orchard and a polytunnel. The garden is a haven for wildflowers, birds, bees and butterflies. Standing stones, meadows, new woodlands, mountains and the sea encompass the whole. There is also a herd of rare breed Shetland cattle, chickens, ducks and friendly cats.

The Victorian walled garden at Glenburn can be found just outside the town of Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders. Positioned close to a pretty Georgian house, this one-acre space is enclosed by red brick walls and is wildly romantic. The garden and its glasshouse are home to a wide selection of perennials and annuals that thrive in the productive and sheltered space. Espaliered apple trees, paths and beds offer pleasing year-round structure and during spring and summer, the garden sings with romantic colour combinations and scent. Highlights include statuesque Himalayan poppies, Iris sibirica, Fritillaria imperialis, highly scented roses, delphiniums, verbascums and thalictrums.

A one hectare walled garden containing an outstanding collection of rare and common plants from around the world assembled to create naturalistic habitat for our native fauna. Some plants can be found in no other Scottish Garden whilst many are first introductions to gardens in the UK. This is an example of gardening harmoniously with nature where declining birds such as Garden warbler can be seen nesting amongst Himalayan poppies & American Prairie plants whilst lucky people might glimpse harvest mice in our unique Grassland Ecology Garden. We use no artificial fertiliser or pesticide and this is also true of the plants we grow for our plant sale area which has a wide range of less common plants.

Situated in a sleepy corner of the charming village of Kirkcowan, this small domestic garden has been expertly improved and extended over the last 4 years by the current owners. A delightful combination of roses, alpines, herbaceous plants, lilies and grasses and a small meadow area offer an interesting experience to visitors.

An evolving three-acre garden. The house is surrounded by a series of mixed borders designed with different vibrant colour combinations for effect in all seasons. A ‘no dig’ 160-foot border in shades of white, blue, purple and pale yellow was created in 2019/2020. The most recent addition to the garden is another ‘no dig’ border in shades of peach, burgundy, yellow, chocolate and acid yellow. Visit in March for over 200 hellebores, May for late spring bulbs and flowers, June and July for roses and high summer colour and August for late summer colour. Visitors are welcome to bring their own refreshments and picnic in the garden. A season ticket for all these dates, and by arrangement (available at the garden or online) is £25 and admits the ticket holder plus guest.

A small, well-stocked garden approximately three miles from Inverness city centre, set on three levels each with its own distinct character. The entrance to the garden includes a decking area with a small fruit garden and raised beds. The small mid-tier area consists of mainly hydrangeas and rhododendrons and the very informal, hidden lower garden includes a wildlife pond, raised beds, and shaded garden area with a greenhouse, all framed by an old stone bridge and a small burn. Due to its layout, the garden is not suitable for wheelchairs and requires the ability to climb a number of steps to view.

Larch House garden and woodland extend over four acres. Building on the design and planting by the previous owners, the garden has been extensively renovated and is constantly evolving. It includes a terraced area of vegetables and cut flowers edged by fruit trees, several mixed borders surrounding a lawn, a large wildlife pond with a bog garden and a smaller ornamental pond. The mixed woodland was planted in 2016, and meandering paths, sometimes steep, lead to extensive views of the Cheviots and surrounding areas.

Little Sparta is Ian Hamilton Finlay’s greatest work of art. Ian and Sue Finlay moved to the farm of Stonypath in 1966 and began to create what would become an internationally acclaimed garden across seven acres of a wild and exposed moorland site. Collaborating with stone carvers, letterers and other artists and poets, the numerous sculptures and artworks created by Finlay explore themes as diverse as the sea and its fishing fleets, our relationship to nature, classical antiquity, the French Revolution and the Second World War. Individual poetic and sculptural elements, in wood, stone and metal, are sited in relation to carefully structured landscaping and planting. Please note that there is a 700m uphill walk from the car park and livestock grazing in the fields. For visitors with limited mobility, it may be possible to book a space near the house; call the garden for details.

Walled garden containing herbaceous border, fruit and vegetables in raised beds. There are colourful rhododendrons and azaleas as well as splendid views down to the River Tweed.

A celebration day of two of our Wigtownshire gems, opening together for the first time.

Amisfield, at eight acres and completely enclosed by 16 foot-high walls of dressed stone, is one of the UK’s largest walled gardens.  It is a haven of peace and tranquillity, rescued from dereliction by volunteers over the last twenty years to create a garden of year-round interest with both formal and informal elements.  Within its walls, accessed by a network of wide paths, are herbaceous and cutting borders, orchards, a maze, an extensive collection of heritage apples, fruit and vegetable gardens, and a winter garden.  

Step inside our family garden — a space made for people, pollinators, and peaceful moments. In just three years, we’ve transformed what was once a concrete patch into a place full of life, colour, and calm. Wander through borders brimming with dahlias, roses, and verbena, or pause under the pergola with a cup of tea and listen to the bees at work. Every corner has been created with family life in mind — places to sit, to chat, to play, and to simply be. You’ll find a wildlife pond alive with frogs and newts, quiet spots for reflection, and pockets of joyful planting that change with the seasons. There is plenty of inspiration for your own family garden. Come, slow down, and discover the simple pleasure of being outdoors together.

Airlie was built in the 15th century as a fortified castle. It sits on a promontory high above the Rivers Melgum and Isla. The gorge below is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because it contains rare lichen and wildflowers. The 18th-century walled garden grows fruit, flowers and vegetables and it is intersected by mature yew and box topiary. Within the castle walls itself, there are two herbaceous borders and a large Kiftsgate rose and climbing wisteria. In large areas of the policies the grass has been left to grow long, and as a consequence of this, many varieties of native wild orchid have reappeared. A woodland walk leads down from the castle and gardens to the River Isla.

Situated in Glassel Park Estate, the planting of this long garden reflects East Lothian habitats including moorland, grassland and woodland, and also areas of related plant varieties such as rockery, roses, ferns, heucheras and peonies. Together, they form a pattern of gardens within a garden. A large waterlily pond houses newts, and a second pond within a rockery is fed by a waterfall. A cold conservatory contains cacti and insectivorous plants. Vertical structure is provided by a large number of specimen small trees, such as Cornus, maples, magnolias, contorted Robinia, Chinese rowan, Persian acacia and honey locust. Animal and bird carvings in wood by Graham reflect local fauna.

A growing botanical collection of trees, shrubs and perennials from around the world in 3.5 acres, sloping down towards the sea with views to Knoydart and Ardnamurchan. Rhododendrons (mainly species) and bluebells in May, colourful borders from June through to September. Since the owners acquired the property in 2015 there has been much new planting in and between existing mature trees, and development of new projects is on-going. There is an all weather route along the drive, terrace and part way round the garden, elsewhere grass can be steep and slippery when wet. There is a steep path down to the public sandy beach.

Greenhead is a medium-sized garden with beautiful borders which have a backbone of perennial shrubs among herbaceous planting, plus a scattering of annuals which provide on-going interest. September is one of the best months to visit this garden.

Benmore’s magnificent mountainside setting is a joy to behold. Its 120 acres boast a world-famous collection of plants from the Himalayas, China and Japan to North and South America, as well as an impressive avenue of giant redwoods, one of the finest entrances to any botanic garden. Established in 1863, these majestic giants stand over 150 feet high. Seven miles of trails throughout lead to a restored Victorian Fernery and a dramatic viewpoint at 420 feet looking out to surrounding mountains and Holy Loch. There are also traditional Bhutanese and Chilean pavilions and the magnificent Golden Gates. Keep an eye out for red squirrels and other wildlife as you explore the garden.
National Plant Collection: Abies, South American Temperate Conifers, Picea
Champion Trees: Many rare trees and giant conifers

The famous annual Fife Autumn Plant Sale returns to St Andrews Botanic Garden. A fabulous selection of bare-root and potted plants, the vast majority grown locally in Fife and donated by our generous garden openers. A great opportunity to give your established border a facelift at knock-down prices or, if you're creating a newer garden, this is THE place to find plants which have been proven to flourish in local conditions. The 2026 sale will also include stalls from local nurseries and a stall selling spring bulbs.

Dawyck is a regional garden of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh which had its 350th anniversary in 2020. Stunning collection of rare trees and shrubs. With over 300 years of tree planting, Dawyck is a world-famous arboretum with mature specimens of Chinese conifers, Japanese maples, Brewer’s spruce, the unique Dawyck beech and sequoiadendrons from North America which are over 150 feet tall. Bold herbaceous plantings run along the burn. Range of trails and walks. Fabulous autumn colours.
National Plant Collection: Larix spp. and Tsuga spp
Champion Trees: Numerous

The garden at Coldoch is sheltered by belts of mature woodland on three sides and looks south over the Carse of Stirling. The parterre courtyard garden and border have replaced the old farm buildings and lead on to a kitchen garden created by using the three old walls of an earlier rose garden. The less formal areas include a stream, a pond, paddocks and woodland. The drives are lined with old oaks and sycamores mixed with new trees from Eastern Europe, Central Asia and some fine, mature cherry trees. 

This established garden, with many mature trees, occupies a south-facing site overlooking the River Tay and Fife hills. The tennis court lawn is surrounded by herbaceous plants and shrubs. A short woodland walk reveals a miniature knot garden, a bower and other surprise features. There are also rose beds and two oriental-themed water gardens. At the summer opening there will be a chance to relax with tea, cake and live music. In the autumn, all the areas will be displaying their seasonal colours and, as darkness falls, they will be further enlivened by a variety of lighting techniques (torches recommended).

A rare opportunity to see a sizeable woodland garden/arboretum in its infancy. It has a good collection of rhododendrons, Sorbus, alder, birch and Tilia but also includes many unusual trees from around the world. The arboretum is zoned into geographic areas and species type. It includes a Japanese Garden, bog garden, bog wood, loch and quarry garden. First created in 2005 and is ongoing. Most plants are grown from hand-collected seed and propagated in the Georgian greenhouse.

Established in 2003, on the outskirts of Inverness, with views over the town, this large garden of three acres has year-round interest. Spring rhododendrons and azaleas, summer herbaceous plantings, autumn trees and shrubs and winter appeal from the conifers, evergreens and structures. Features include a rockery, ponds, musical instruments, a stumpery and a new area of late summer colour.

Created in 1957 as a memorial garden by Betty Macdonald of Barguillean for her son Angus, this picturesque nine-acre woodland garden is set around the tranquil shores of Loch Angus in historic Glen Lonan. Whilst famous for its extensive collection of hybrid rhododendrons and azaleas, this glorious garden cleverly retains the natural atmosphere of the landscape. Visitors can enjoy an informal network of paths, lined with spring flowering shrubs and bulbs, through native woodland and by shoreland whilst surrounded by the magnificent views of Ben Cruachan and the mountains of Glen Etive. This unspoilt natural setting attracts a wide range of wildlife, and the eleven-acre loch is home to swans and ducks. On the north-west side of the garden overlooking the loch stands Betty's bell paying tribute to her 40 years of work creating this magical garden. The garden reaches its full glory between April and the end of June but is a place of special tranquillity and charm at all times of the year. Three marked, circular walks from the car park taking between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours. Not suitable for wheelchairs.

Our green spaces grow from one end of the village to the other. From the range of perennials and bulbs in the Meadowfoot triangle, past the colourful station beds to the stunning wallflowers and dahlias at the Library triangle. In between, we have the sensory Catlinn, the relaxing Old Man's Rest and the Boyd Orr where his work is celebrated in growing food, fruit and flowers. Pass by our flower beds when you go into the Barony Arts Centre to buy your booklet 'The Community Gardens of West Kilbride'. The Centre is open 10am - 4pm Monday to Saturday. Wander through the Kirktonhall Glen and visit our meadow and community orchard. Cross Gilmour's Lane and wind your way back through Starling Woods with its fairy doors amongst the trees.

Aldouran Glen, which means 'Glen of the Otter', is a unique blend of colourful community gardens, a natural water area with reed beds and a wild woodland with all-access trails, fairy doors and fantasy artwork including a nine foot Gruffalo. Picnic and toilet facilities. Small groups welcome.

In a peaceful setting overlooking Loch Fyne, the garden contains one of the finest collections of rhododendrons and conifers in Britain. This includes the mightiest conifer in Europe - a silver fir - as well as many other Champion Trees. There is a gazebo with a unique scriptorium based around a collection of literary quotes. For younger visitors, the garden features a Fairy Trail, Gruffalo Trail and Snakey Slide.
Champion Trees: The mightiest conifer in Europe and others.