Introduction
For a long time gardens have formed an integral part of Scottish culture. Scotland now boasts a wide range of gardens covering private, botanic, community, formal and much more.
Royal Botanic Garden, Glasgow
Information on Scottish Gardens: Part 1
Mount Stuart, Isle of Bute
Summary information is provided below to assist visitors in determining appropriate priorities and focus.
Gardening in Scotland has a provenance dating back possibly two millennia to the time of the Romans. The latter was the first to introduce horticulture. Skills were developed by monks and nuns in medieval times, the landed aristocracy and the great plant collectors of Victorian times. More recently, gardening has developed into an art form as manifested in the somewhat esoteric Garden of Cosmic Speculation near Dumfries.
Gardens in Scotland open to the public now extend to approximately one hundred in total. For ease of reference the principal gardens are listed below, segregated by geographic area.
Highlands and Islands
Cawdor Castle Garden
Achamore Gardens, Achnacloich Garden, An Cala Garden, Ardanaiseig Garden, Adchattan Priory, Ardtornish Garden, Arduaine Garden, Balmoral Castle Garden, Barguillean Garden, Brodick Castle Garden ( Isle of Arran), Brodie Castle Garden, Bught Floral Hall, Cawdor Castle Garden, Crarae Gardens, Dunrobin Castle Garden , Dunvegan Castle Garden ( Isle of Skye), Inveraray Castle Garden, Hugh Miller’s Cottage, Inverewe Gardens, Kilmory Castle Gardens, Lochalsh Woodland Garden, Stonefield Castle Hotel, Torosay Castle Garden (Isle of Mull).
North East Scotland
Crathes Castle Garden
Brechin Castle Garden, Castle Fraser Garden, Craigievar Castle, Crathes Castle, Fyvie Castle Garden,Garden, Drum Castle Garden, Edzell Castle Garden, Haddo House Garden, House of Dun, Kildrummy Castle Garden, Leith Hall, Pitmedden Garden.
Information on Scottish Gardens: Part 2
Drummond Castle Gardens
Central Scotland
Ardkinglas Woodland Garden, Bell’s Cherrybank Garden, Blairhoyle, Branklyn Garden, Cambo House, Carnell Garden and Cluny House Garden. Colzium-Lennox Estate (Arboretum and Walled Garden), Culross Palace, Culzean Castle Garden, Drummond Castle, Earlshall Garden, Falkland Palace and Finlaystone House. Geilston House Garden, Glasgow Botanic Garden, Glenarn Garden, Glenfarg Community Garden, Greenbank Garden, Hermitage Garden and Hill House Garden. Hill of Tarvit Garden, House of the Binns, Inveresk Lodge Gardens and Jane Welsh Carlyle House Garden. Kellie Castle Garden, Kinross Garden, Malleny Garden, The Pineapple, Pitlochry Explorers Garden, Pollok House Garden and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Newhailes Garden, St. Andrews Botanic Garden, St.Mary’s Pleasance, Scone Palace Garden, and Sir Douglas Bader Garden for the Disabled. Strone Garden and Younger Botanic Garden.
South West Scotland
Arbigland Garden, Ardwell House, Bargany Garden, Broughton House Garden, Glenwhan Garden, Harmony Garden, Lochinch and Castle Kennedy, Logan Botanic Garden, Threave School of Gardening.
South-East Scotland
Abbotsford House
Abbotsford Garden, Dawyck Botanic Garden, Dirleton Castle, Floors Castle Garden, Garden of Cosmic Speculation, Kailzie Garden, Little Sparta Garden, Manderston, Mellerstain Garden, Monteviot Garden, Priorwood Garden.
More information for the visitor.
The publication, Visitors’ Guide to Scotland includes sections on Scotland’s gardens. This book is heavily illustrated and contains a wealth of information on Scotland and it’s history. The ISBN is 978-1-9161332-0-4. Also available via Kindle.