Scotland’s Gardens marks 85th anniversary with 66 new gardens

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From snowdrops and star gazing to stunning views of the Highlands, from inner city veg patches to scenic Scottish burns and sensory flower borders, the horticultural highlights of Scotland’s Gardens 2016 are waiting to be discovered.

In the charity’s 85th anniversary year some 440 gardens will open their gates as part of the scheme, stretching from Wigtownshire in the south-west to Shetland in the north-east. This year also sees 66 new gardens open as part of the scheme.

side-SG-2016-Front-Cover-FinalDuring 2016 visitors will be able to wander around coastal gardens, village trails, grand Estates and hidden urban retreats. You will be tempted by dozens of plant sales and be able to gaze in awe at 35 National Plant Collections. Some 272 charities will benefit from funds raised by the openings.

There is special mention for Winton House (pictured at top) in East Lothian which has opened every year, bar one, since Scotland’s Gardens began in 1931. That year its owners raised £20.8s.6d for charity!

Village gardens in Fife, Muckart Village in Perth and Kinross and Kilbarchan Village Gardens in Renfrewshire will join 14 other village openings as well as three rural group openings and one new coastal opening at Golf Course Road Gardens in Ayrshire.

You might also be tempted by the Walled Garden, Sheildhill in South Lanarkshire, which is a contemporary update of a 200 year old walled garden, or Easter Weens in Roxburghshire which has a beautiful pear shaped walled garden.

Scotland’s Gardens snowdrop festival will run this year from 30th January to the 13th March and when spring and summer visiting is over, there will still be 80 gardens available to visit in autumn including Attadale in Ross and Cromarty and Little Broich in Stirlinghshire.

Terrill Dobson, National Organiser for Scotland’s Gardens comments: “Scotland has such a varied, beautiful landscape and so there is a garden opening for every taste. Our dedicated volunteers scour the country for undiscovered gardening gems and each year we’re always able to bring visitors something new to explore and admire.”

You can discover participating gardens by visiting www.scotlandsgardens.org
Simply click on the area you want to visit and details of all garden openings will be displayed with opening hours, online map and key details.