Scotland’s Gardens scheme announces record number of gardens to open for charity in 2014

Dunblane Community Gardens which boasts one of the world’s longest hosta borders including a hosta named after Andy Murray, is one of over 60 gardens to be opening for the Scotland’s Gardens charity for the first time. It is not the only community project to be newly involved. Watch Us Grow, an organic fruit and vegetable garden in Glasgow will feature as will a horticultural therapy project, Gardening Leave near Ayr which helps army veterans with mental health issues. In total around 600 gardens will be opening their gates to visitors this year.

“We’re so pleased to have more gardens opening than ever before which means there really is a garden for every sort of taste, “said Paddy Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Scotland’s Gardens, adding, ”A theme for 2014 is definitely community gardening. An increasing number of amateur gardeners are clubbing together and creating wonderful green spaces for the public to enjoy which is so lovely to see and we hope will encourage even more people to get the gardening bug.”

Other interesting new city gardens to visit include Kincarrathie House in Perth, originally the home of the whisky baron and philanthropist A K Bell; Newbold House Garden in Forres planted to attract wildlife including a butterfly garden; and Dalkeith Polytunnel in Kirkwall.

Scotland’s Gardens raises money for charity by facilitating the opening of privately owned gardens usually inaccessible to the public. Visitors can plan their days out to participating gardens by clicking on to www.scotlandsgardens.org

Leave a Reply