The gardens at Auchgourish extend to some 10 acres / 4 hectares and the general layout is mainly based on Bio-Geographic regions such as Japan, Himalaya, Korea, etc, along with Chinese and North American rock gardens as well as a Scottish Alpine and a Saint Andrew’s garden, the latter to commemorate Saint Andrew’s Cross, the world’s oldest national flag and in which all the botanical plants flower either to blue or white. We do not grow plants from the Southern hemisphere because relatively few of these can cope with both the shortness and lateness of our growing season, close to latitude 58 degrees North and what can be extreme winter temperatures.
In addition to the gardens themselves we have our own nursery from which plants for the gardens are produced and surplus rare and unusual plants are sold via the web shop www.thebotanicalnursery.com and to visitors who can also see a small herd of Highland cattle including the original black ones and the very rare white variety. Of special interest to children is the collection of fossilised Haggis eggs on display which were uncovered when excavating areas to create several ponds.
Opening Times
Opening Times. Sunday to Friday between 10.00 a.m. & 5.00 p.m. Closed Saturdays April 1st through to October 31st. At Auchgourish Botanic Gardens we look forward to meeting and greeting friends old and new. During the close season 1st Novemeber to 31st March special arrangements can be made (subject to weather) between 11.00 a.m. & 3.00 p.m. by either telephoning or emailing enquiries for Gardens and / or Nursery.