2021 Summer Garden Festival

There’s Much Ado About Something as Scotland’s Summer Garden Festival gets underway.

From now until 15 August gardens across the country will be celebrating the season with activities for all the family.

From Shakespeare amongst the flower beds to walks, talks and guided tours, there will be plenty for visitors to enjoy while they explore some of Scotland’s finest landscapes.

The Festival is organised by Discover Scottish Gardens and amongst those taking part is Gordon Castle Walled Garden near Forres, where as well as outdoor theatre productions of The Great Gatsby, Mr Stink and A Midsummer’s NIght’s Dream, there will be a Flower Farmer’s Big Weekend from 13 until 18 August, when the cut flower beds at Gordon Castle will be at their absolute best.

There’s more theatre on offer at Abbotsford House near Galashiels, which will be staging productions of both The Merry Wives of Windsor and Robin Hood, as well as running walks along the River Tweed and through the woods where Sir Walter Scott strolled while penning his novels.

Geilston Garden near Cardross will be hosting a Teddy Bear’s Picnic on 14 and 15 August and theatre productions at The University of Dundee Botanic Garden will include Dr Doolittle and HMS Pinafore, as well as Much Ado About Nothing.

Visitors to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh can discover The Hidden Beauty of Seeds and Fruit through an exhibition that will run all summer and at New Hopetoun Garden Centre near South Queensferry a festival of Art in the Garden will celebrate outdoor sculpture and suggest ways to use it, while at Dawyck Botanic Garden in Stobo, 24 giant puzzle pieces hanging from the trees will form a self-guided art trail.

On 27 June there’s a chance to follow another trail, this time around the Hidden Gardens of St Andrews while artist Peter Lamb’s work will be on show at Logan Botanic Garden on the Mull of Galloway until 15 August.

At Cambo Estate in Fife there will be workshops on ‘no-dig’ and ‘straw bale’ gardening, as well as a lamma’s tea party and, on 14 August, a chance for visitors to make their own flower crowns, while Teasses Estate near Cupar will be hosting its annual Summer Open Day on 27 June.

Flowers, sculpture and outstanding views over Loch Carron towards Raasay await visitors to Attadale Gardens in Strathcarron while family activities in the laundry room are amongst the events that will be taking place at Armadale Castle on Skye.

And at Blair Castle in Perthshire there’s a Craft Fair to enjoy on 26 and 27 June, as well as a drive-in cinema, outdoor theatre, deer feeding, nature walks with the ranger and a piper playing in the courtyard of one of Scotland’s most iconic locations.

It all adds up to a summer of fun and discovery in some of Scotland’s most outstanding gardens and Catherine Erskine, Chair, Discover Scottish Gardens, says: “With more holidaymakers than ever expected to spend time in Scotland this summer, the Festival offers a chance to discover more of our beautiful gardens and enjoy them in new and exciting ways.”

To view the full list of current events, please visit www.discoverscottishgardens.org/events.