Crathes Castle, Garden and Estate

About the garden

Owned by

The National Trust for Scotland

Crathes is famous for its walled garden, which started as a kitchen garden and was later developed into a flower garden, both before the First World War and in the 1920s and 1930s. The 3.75 acres are divided into eight distinct gardens, each with its own character. These include a white border, the Gold Garden, the blue and pink border, double herbaceous, fountain or blue garden, rose garden and upper pool garden.     

The garden is intensively planted to give colour all year round. Some of the topiary yew hedges date back to 1702. The gardens contain an extensive collection of rare and interesting trees and shrubs collected by Sir James Burnett, and the garden boasts a huge number of summer-flowering shrubs such as Philadelphus and Deutzia. Early season interest comes from an impressive display of spring bulbs and woodland plants from all over the world with early to late summer interest with extensive plantings of tender perennials.    

The gardens benefit from the mild late climate notable in North East Scotland, allowing the garden displays to continue well into the year until the frosts make autumn a blaze of colour. An extensive tree collection can also be enjoyed within the estate grounds from rare conifer collections to native Sorbus.

Please note: this garden is partially accessible.