Gardens
Wander among some of the open gardens of South West Scotland. A number are not too far away from Rascarrel Bay and can be included as part of a day trip.
Gardens Closeby
Threave Gardens, Castle Douglas
A spectacular 64 acre garden just outside Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway's Food Town. This garden is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and has been maintained and developed by the students of the National Trust for Scotland's School of Practical Gardening, which is based at the Gardens.
There is something different each season at Threave Gardens, particularly in the spring when there is a magnificent display of nearly 200 different daffodils along with other spring flowering plants. Among other things there is a rose garden, walled garden and glasshouses, as well as the rock garden, heathers, conifers, ponds and herbaceous perennials.
On site there is parking, a shop and cafe as well as woodland and countryside walks across the Threave Estate.
For more information visit: www.nts.org.uk/Property/Threave-Estate
Broughton House and Garden, Kirkcudbright
Owned by the National Trust for Scotland Broughton House was once the home of Scottish Artist E. A. Hornel. The House still has many of Hornel's artworks on display as well as information about his life.
Hornel created this secluded garden, which has a mix of formal and relaxed settings, it was a visit to Japan that inspired Hornel to develop the garden in a Japenese style.
For more information on the House and Garden visit: www.nts.org.uk/Property/Broughton-House-Garden/
Elizabeth MacGregors Nursery, Kirkcudbright
An half acre formal garden with a high curved wall showcases plants in their mature form. This garden is at its best from mid-summer onwards and is full of lovely scents and colours.
The nursery also has plants for sale, which include a collection of violas, hardy geraniums, penstemons, campanulas, eryngiums, primulas and iris.
For more information visit: www.elizabethmacgregornursery.co.uk
Cally Gardens, Gatehouse
A walled garden just outside Gatehouse of Fleet that was built in the 1770's to grow produce for Cally House. Since 1987 the garden has been developed with a specialist collection of over 3,000 perennials, some of which are for sale at the Nursery on site. Plants in the garden are grown from seed collection or from plant hunting expeditions around the world.
For more information visit: www.callygardens.co.uk
Further afield...
Logan Botanic Gardens - www.rbge.org.uk/the-gardens/logan
Dunskey Gardens & Maze - www.dunskey.com
Castle Kennedy Gardens - http://www.castlekennedygardens.co.uk/
Galloway House Gardens Trust - www.gallowayhousegardens.co.uk
Claymoddie Garden & Galloway Plants - www.gallowayplants.co.uk
Glenwhan Garden & Tearoom - www.glenwhangardens.co.uk