Dawyck botanic garden

Dawyck Botanic Garden

The Dawyck Botanic Garden features a diverse variety of trees and plants, and it is in the Scottish Borders area. It showcases one of Scotland’s best tree collections. Not to mention, it has some of the oldest and tallest trees in all of Britain. Visitors can take in the breathtaking flower displays during all seasons in this 65-acre garden. Experience the flora of Nepal, Chile, and so much more all year round. Plant lovers can choose from an extensive collection of themed paths. These paths simulate the experiences of plant explorers, which is all very exciting.

dawyck botanic garden
Image by – Jim Barton

Seasonal Highlights at Dawyck

Spring Highlights at Dawyck

Early in the spring, there is a beautiful collection of snowdrops. These are also among the first blooms to appear in the garden. The banks of Scrape Burn are also carpeted with lovely white blossoms, which float up the slope behind them. A walk through the woods will reward you with the sight of fresh green beech leaves. There’s also the magnificence of the first flowering rhododendrons. Two examples are the impressive Rhododendron strigillosum and Rhododendron oreodoxa.

dawyck botanic garden
Image by – Jim Barton

Summer Highlights at Dawyck

Dawyck’s summers are often warmer and drier than the rest of Scotland. The Azalea Terrace is most beautiful in May and June when the flowers are in full bloom. The azalea Rhododendron occidentale puts on a display far into July. The late-flowering Rhododendron maxima are also extremely beautiful at this time. Throughout June, the cotoneasters are strewn with their tiny blooms. The meconopsis, on the other hand, is best seen earlier in the season. It is a Himalayan native that thrives in Dawyck’s climate. Late summer is an excellent time to look for astilbes in the wet soil. Also, check out shadier areas among the lush hostas and ferns near Scrape Burn.

dawyck botanic garden
Image by – Gordon Brown

Autumn Highlights at Dawyck

Autumn is a beautiful time of year at Dawyck. The season creates many beautiful plants such as maples, rowans and beech spindle trees. The Japanese katsura or candyfloss tree is also a part of the garden. There are also a few beautiful North American golden birch trees. The whole area is drenched in a rich tapestry of reds, golds, and deep browns. These colours compliment the surrounding landscape quite nicely. It’s fall crocus season, and the ground is decked out with colourful fungus. Fruit is also everywhere. In the fruit collection, there are spiny beech nut husks and spiky fir cones, as well as maple keys and sparkling conkers.

dawyck botanic garden
Image by – M J Richardson

Winter Highlights at Dawyck

The stunning colours of the bark and evergreen trees are highlighted by the frosts and white snow. Because of the lack of leaves on the trees, the garden is at its most beautiful at this time of year. The shapes of the conifers and broadleaves are more visible without the primary canopy. At this time of year, the garden is utterly stunning.

The History of Dawyck Botanic Garden

The Naesmith family bought the property in 1691 from the Veitch family. The Veitch family grew the garden at Dawyck House for several generations. David Douglas’s plant-hunting excursions were strongly sponsored by Sir John Murray Naesmith. This made the garden one of the best botanic gardens in the world. Between 1897 and 1978, the Balfour family purchased the Dawyck Estate. As a gift to the Royal Botanic Garden, they gave them the whole estate. They only kept Dawyck House and the chapel, which are now used as private residences.

dawyck botanic garden
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Other Botanical Gardens in Scotland

Glasgow Botanic Gardens

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The Glasgow Botanic Gardens are in the heart of Glasgow’s West End. They are between the southern bank of the River Kelvin and Glasgow’s Great Western Road. The gardens were founded in 1817 by famous botanist Thomas Hopkirk, with help from the University of Glasgow. These gardens have been an important feature of the city for almost 200 years. The botanic gardens were originally located a mile or two southeast of the current site. They were near the western end of Sauchiehall Street until 1842. The grounds now include a vast plant collection. You can also enjoy riverside walkways and woodland copses. The Kibble Palace, Glasgow Botanic Gardens’ magnificent glasshouse, is the most prominent attraction.

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

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One of the world’s finest botanical gardens is within a few minutes walk of Edinburgh city centre. Their goal is to study, protect, and explain the diverse plant world. All with the intention of providing a brighter future for everybody. In the gardens, you can find 72 acres of magnificent gardens and landscapes, which are open 365 days a year. Make sure to look around the glasshouses, which feature over 2,400 plants from all over the world. Even more interesting, these plants are all from distinct climates and species. The resulting experience is both serene and wonderful.

Logan Botanic Garden

Christine Matthews / Tree ferns, Logan Botanic Gardens, Mull of Galloway

Go on a walking tour of the Logan Botanic Garden in Scotland. It’s home to over 500 exotic plant species that are seldom found in the UK. Like the state of Florida, the climate in Logan, Scotland, is rather tropical. Half-hardy perennials are found throughout the garden’s avenues and borders. This means that there are some stunning and colourful results. The Gulf Stream helps warm the garden by transporting warm water from the Gulf of Mexico. This allows for plants from regions like Australia, Africa, and the Americas to grow.

Benmore Botanic Garden

Stuart Halliday, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This wonderful garden has seven miles of pathways to explore. It also has an amazing view of the Holy Loch and many kinds of plants and trees. You can find this garden to the north of Dunoon in the mountainous region. As soon as you enter under the impressive redwood archway, you know you’re going to have a memorable experience.

Branklyn Garden

Tom Pennington / Branklyn Garden, Perth

To discover this hillside garden, you need to go to California’s Sierra Nevada foothills. You can enjoy alpine flowers, Himalayan blue poppies, and dog’s tooth violet in the spring. You can’t miss the floral magnolias, as well as the fragrant Japanese maple in the summertime. The autumn is beautiful as well. The katsura tree creates a sweet, roasted sugar fragrance as its leaves change colour. It also has its own distinct aroma.

Travel to These Destinations

These botanic gardens are a true adventure, and you can easily visit all of them when you are in Scotland. Travel to each of them in style with a luxury chauffeur service. This will make the entire experience even more enjoyable, not to mention convenient. Don’t miss out on booking your personal chauffeur service by visiting this link.

 

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