Gardens of the Scottish Borders

Today we meet with our expert gardener Iain MacDonald at Dublin airport for our flight to Edinburgh where we will transfer to Dawyck Botanic Garden. Nestled in the picturesque Scottish Borders, Dawyck is home to one of Scotland’s finest tree collections and to an abundance of plant treasures from Nepal, Chile, China and more.

Later this afternoon we will transfer to our hotel in the market town of Kelso where our tour will be based.

Dine as a group this evening in our hotel.

Following a leisurely breakfast, we depart our hotel for a visit to Abbotsford House & Garden, the home of Sir Walter Scott. The rooms of this stately home were left just as Scott kept them after his death and are packed full of the fascinating items he collected. The garden, designed by Sir Walter Scott,  is distinct in character with a layout forming three outdoor ‘rooms’ designed to offer picturesque settings for the main house.  It is a rare surviving example of a Regency garden layout.        

Next, we visit Carolside Gardens which has been cultivated for over 200 years and is known for its soft and delicate herbaceous planting, striking Delphinium beds and subtle colour schemes. Its design of rooms include a Secret Garden, Winter Garden, Herb Garden and oval Walled Garden.

Our final visit today is to Harmony Garden at Melrose Abbey with its manicured lawns, scented borders and fruit & vegetable beds spread out from a beautifully proportioned Georgian manor house.

This morning join us on a visit to Scotland’s largest inhabited castle , Floors Castle & Garden. Built between 1721 and 1726 for the 1^st Duke of Roxburghe the gardens of this magnificent estate has many highlights including a Walled Garden, Tapestry Garden and formal Millennium Garden.

This afternoon we will visit Mertoun House Gardens – a garden full of interesting plants, shrubs and trees overlooking the River Tweed. Highlights include a well preserved, circular dovecot dating to 1567 , ornamental pond, herbaceous borders, arboretum and sweeping lawns.

After checking out of our hotel we will depart for a morning visit to Kailzie Gardens to discover 20 acres of gardens and woodlands laid down by generations of passionate gardeners. All the elements of a classic garden are set off by the magnificent 19^th century walled garden featuring one of the oldest surviving Mackenzie and Moncur Glasshouses, herbaceous borders, hedges, immaculate lawns and a formal rose garden.

This afternoon join us on a visit to the old Victorian gardens at Portmore. The 1.5 acre Walled Garden has herbaceous double borders, a potager, rose garden, pleached lime walk and ornamental fruit cages. Other highlights include large Victorian glasshouses with contain an Italianate Grotto.

Transfer to Edinburgh airport after a wonderful few days discovering the Gardens of The Scottish Borders.