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Garden Holidays in Dumfries and Galloway

Gardens of Dumfries and Galloway
22-26 June 2009

The Aston Hotel, sited on the Crichton Estate, Dumfries, will be our base for visiting the many unique gardens of south-west Scotland.

Our trip to the delightful Threave Gardens will provide a range of summer planting throughout their estate, before visiting the small, intimate garden of Broughton House (pictured, left). The house and garden belonged to Edward Hornel, the renowned artist, and the studio overlooks the garden, with views of the Dee estuary. There will be time to explore the charming town of Kirkudbright before visiting Elizabeth MacGregor’s Nursery and garden, which specialises in classic cottage garden plants.

Travelling to the far west of the county, our first stop will be to the beautiful Glenwhan Garden. This 12 acre private garden has emerged out of a barren south facing hillside into a site containing lakes and borders filled with many varied plants. Not far from Glenwhan lies Logan Botanic Garden: warmed by the Gulf Stream and famed for its tender collections, this exotic site provides a wonderful collection of plants.

Drumlanrig Castle is perched above the Nith valley, with over 40 acres of formal gardens, including great parterres, rock and bog gardens, and extensive wooded glades. From here we travel through the Lowther Hills to Craigieburn Garden, a 5 acre site which lies hidden in the Moffat Hills. This extraordinary garden has borders filled with shrubs, perennials and bulbs, and an amazing deep wooded gorge, into which the Craigieburn cascades, with a climate and terrain more reminiscent of Nepal than Scotland.

En route to Dumfries & Galloway we will visit Dalemain in Cumbria, a 5 acre gem overlooking the Lakeland Fells, which includes a Rose Walk with more than 100 old-fashioned roses. On our journey home we call into the immaculately tended Arley Hall in Cheshire, a delightful garden and arboretum, it is particularly famous for its double herbaceous border which is backed and buttressed by yew hedges.

Cost per person: £450
Single room: £60

Departure points: Lincoln