Threave Garden is located near Castle Douglas in south west Scotland.
Threave Garden and Estate is one of the most diverse properties in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. Acquired from the Gordon family in 1957, the 1,600-acre estate supports farming, forestry, horticulture, wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation. Centre of importance to the whole Estate is the impressive 65 acre ornamental Garden, which has developed since the early 1960s by the National Trust for Scotland. The picturesque plantings have been planted by students of Threave School of Heritage Gardening. Exotic plants and ‘Champion’ trees from all over the world provide a show throughout the seasons, enhanced by panoramic views of the many garden features.
The surrounding deciduous woodlands, farmland pasture and wetland marshes are home to an astonishing diversity of birds, mammals and plants, including 9 of the 11 bat species found in Scotland. Overlooking it all from high up on Kelton Hill stands Threave House. The turrets and towers of this grand, Scottish-Baronial style building dominates the views over the Garden and the surrounding Galloway hills.
What to see and do
You can easily spend a whole day if not two at Threave Garden and Estate. View the principal rooms in Threave House; wander through the woodland and ornamental gardens; admire the exhibition of sculptures by local artists in the ‘Formal Garden’; visit the Countryside Centre with displays about the history and wildlife of the estate; follow estate paths into the surrounding countryside both at Threave and at the coastal reserve at Rockcliffe, and enjoy a varied programme of events and festivities throughout the year.
Take a walk up into Kelton Wood and watch for red squirrels, or down to the river marshlands where you can spend time in the bird hides watching the River Dee flow past or take the boat-crossing to Threave Castle, run by Historic Scotland. If you are lucky you might see an otter foraging in the reeds or witness the return of the ospreys in spring!
Enjoy a guided tour of Threave House, led by informed and friendly guides. The impressive, red-sandstone building was designed in 1872 by Edinburgh architects Peddie and Kinnear. The principal rooms have been meticulously restored to the decorative scheme of the 1930s, following a 1938 inventory by Jenners of Edinburgh.
The Countryside Centre, located within the garden, features interactive displays and an introduction to the history and wildlife of the 1,500-acre estate, which is home to a wildfowl sanctuary and Scotland’s first bat reserve.
Threave Garden
Explore Threave Gardens many outdoor ‘rooms’ - the Secret garden, Patio garden, Rockery, Peat garden and Azalea walk. Highlights include a 1-acre productive walled garden adorned with climbing plants, fruit and vegetable; glasshouse displays of exotic plants native to tropical and temperate regions of the world; woodland gardens and arboretum with winding paths leading past Champion trees and spring-flowering shrubs; and ponds and sculptural water features reflecting the rich, seasonal colours of flowers and foliage.
Threave garden covers an area of 24 hectares so, after a thorough explore, you can look forward to a seat in the Discovery Garden with its meadow plantings and children’s play area.
These are just some of the treasures to be enjoyed by all the family around Threave Estate. Once you have satisfied your appetite for all things wild and wonderful, take a seat in the restaurant at the Visitor Centre and enjoy mouth-watering Threave-cooked fare and then browse the Shop and Plant Centre and purchase a reminder of an inspiring day out!
Spring
Threave gardens are best known for the magnificent spring display of daffodils – with over 200 cultivars planted since the late 19th century – especially noted for cultivar ‘Southern Gem’ rare in cultivation. The emergence of spring bulbs like Bluebells, Crocus and Scillas and scented, flowering shrubs like Cornus mas and Magnolia stellata are a sight to behold. A walk to the top of the garden is rewarded with the magnificent, showy blooms of Rhododendron and Azalea. Selections of primulas, meconopsis, hostas are at their best in May and June along with other attractions such as the handkerchief tree (Davidia involucrate) and the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). The return of the Ospreys from winter in North Africa is keenly anticipated and over the next few months you can view their nest-building antics and emerging chicks from a special viewing platform across the river! The garden and estate are suddenly alive with the songs of Blackcap and Garden Warbler – if you get here early enough you will hear the dawn chorus! Spotted Flycatchers can be seen in darting flight as they hunt insects, and Lapwings display over the marshes.
Summer
There is brilliant colour from the herbaceous perennials jostling for attention in the borders. Early summer-flowering shrubs like Deutzia and Philadelphus grace the borders and Embothrium coccineum (scarlet fire bush) provides a vibrant splash of red in the woodland. The giant leaves of Gunnera manicata cast their reflections over the pond. Eucryphia ‘Nymansay’ flaunts its eye-catching white flowers in the Patio Garden. Buy garden-grown vegetables and enjoy their fresh, organic flavour or purchase herbaceous perennials propagated by the gardening students. Enjoy a walk to the bird-hides on the estate and spot courting great-crested grebes on the river. You might see the otter fishing or the peregrine falcon patrolling from the ruined battlements of Threave Castle. In the marshland areas you may catch a glimpse of a small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly. At dusk listen for the hooting of a fledgling tawny owl and watch for the silent flight of pipistrelle or long-eared bats.
Autumn
Wonderful autumn colour is provided by the cinnamon-scented foliage of Cercidiphyllum japonica and the orange and yellow variegated foliage of Parrotia persica. Red and pink foliage of the many Acer (Maple) cultivars take centre stage – especially Acer rubrum in the patio garden. Apples and pears are harvested from the espalier and cordon trees in the walled garden. Berries adorn the crab-apple trees, Berberis, Pyracantha and Sorbus. Many small birds like Warblers, Swallows, Martins and Chiff Chaff depart on their migration south but you can hear the Nuthatches noisily going about their business and late in the season the wintering ducks and other wildfowl begin a welcome return to Blackpark Marsh. Watch for red squirrels burying their nuts in Kelton Wood.
Winter
Vibrant, red and yellow stems of Cornus (Dogwood) and Salix (Willow), and wispy orange and yellow flowers of Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ (Witch Hazel) and winter jasmine warm the scene of frosted stems and seed-heads. Snowdrops carpet the woodlands heralding the distant advance of spring. A profusion of cyclamens and narcissus adorn the glasshouses. Wigeon, teal, goldeneye, pintail, shoveler and whooper swan are here for the winter. Thousands of wildfowl return to graze the fields by the river. Listen for the skeins of Greenland whitefront geese, greylag and pink-footed geese. Flocks of linnet and twite feed on the farmland stubble. If the winter is harsh, Waxwings visit to strip the Sorbus of berries in their bandit-like flocks. Get into the festive spirit during the ‘Christmas Celebration’ weekend early in December. The house is decorated with winter flowers, garlands and Christmas trees
The garden is listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens, which is maintained by Historic Scotland.[1]