Description:
The gardens date back to the 1900s, Auchincruive is steeped in horticultural history as the site used to be the West of Scotland Agricultural College. The gardens are going through major redevelopment to bring it back to its former glory, including restoring secret garden, walled garden, herbaceous borders and ponds that are within the gardens. Our main focus of the gardens is to produce vegetables for the Bothy Cafe, we have two large vegetable growing areas, one plot is no dig and the other is dig. We also have an arboretum that contains rare and endangered trees, including Sorbus Arranensis, Sequoia sempervirens, Sequoiadendron giganteum and cryptomeria japonica. The gardens also contain fruit, orchid and greenhouses and the grounds has a total of 48 acres that consist of woodlands, cafe and gardens. Our gardens are used therapeutically to help residents overcome addiction and improve their mental well being.
Directions: River Garden is located two minutes by car from the main Whitletts roundabout at the junction of the A77/B743. At the roundabout, take the B743 turn signposted Mossblown. At the bend in the road turn right into the Nellie’s Gate entrance at bus stop KA65.
Other details: Head Gardener, Andrew Harkiss will be conducting two tours of the gardens the first at 12.30 and then at 2pm.
