Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Openings

Local Gardens To Visit

With the warmer weather our gardens Spring to life, and it is always a great privilege to be able to visit other people’s gardens and take inspiration from them. We live in such a beautiful part of the world and not only is it nice to support our local friends, but by visiting one of these gardens you are also supporting the charities that they have chosen through Scotland’s Gardens Scheme.

Stobshiel, Humbie

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.

Open: 4 March to 23 September, 9am - 3.30pm. Wednesday only

Charity: Remap Scotland

Shepherd House, Inveresk, Musselburgh

A constantly evolving artist’s garden that never stands still, with lots of surprises including a shell house built in 2014, rose parterres, a rill and fountains. At its heart are the plants filling every border, spilling over arches and lining paths, which are the inspiration for Ann’s paintings. The season starts with the snowdrop collection of over 70 cultivars, moves on through hellebores, tulips, irises and roses. One of the garden's features is a mirror steel diamond sculpture to commemorate the Frasers' diamond wedding anniversary.

Open: Tuesdays & Thursdays from 14 April to 30 July, 2 - 4pm

Chosen Charity: Trees For Life

Tyningham House and Walled Garden, Tyningham

Splendid 17th century sandstone Scottish baronial house, remodelled in 1829 by William Burn. The gardens include herbaceous border, Lady Haddington’s Secret Garden with old fashioned roses and an extensive wilderness spring garden with rhododendrons, azalea, flowering trees and bulbs. The Romanesque ruin of St Baldred’s Church commands views across the Tyne Estuary and Lammermuir Hills. Tyninghame has been awarded ‘Outstanding’ for every category in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Scotland.

Open: Sunday 28 June, 1-5pm

Chosen Charity: Muirfield Riding For The Disabled

Humbie Dean, Humbie

Humbie Dean is an informal two-acre ornamental, woodland and vegetable garden on a variety of levels, sandwiched between two burns at 600 feet, developed since 2009. The garden is densely planted for year-round interest, not just from flowers, but foliage, bark and berries. The woodland gorge part of the garden is accessible only by a series of steps.

Open: Wednesday 20 May, Wednesday 3 June, Wednesday 8 July & Wednesday 12 August, 10:30am - 4pm

Chosen Chairty: Mamie Martin Fund

All photography by Delia Ridley-Thomas from Scotland’s Garden Scheme website