Douneside House
RHS Partner Garden
Free RHS Member days
Daily (except 23 December–3 January)
About the garden
Douneside House is the former home of Lady MacRobert and her family and now operates as an award-winning country house hotel. The gardens were originally laid out by Sir Alexander and Lady MacRobert in the early 20th century, and Lady MacRobert continued to work in the gardens for much of her life. She was a qualified and well-travelled geologist, collecting many plants that she grew and displayed in her rock garden designed by the famous Backhouse Nursery in 1911.
Today, her horticultural legacy is maintained and developed by The MacRobert Trust. The gardens are an RHS Qualifications Approved Centre and serve as the primary teaching garden of The MacRobert Trust Horticultural Training Scheme.
Spanning 17 acres, the gardens feature an infinity lawn with spectacular views across the Grampian Mountains; beautifully planted Arts and Crafts terraced gardens; an arboretum; rock-pool gardens and streamside plantings; the Spring Walk; a Victorian-style ornamental greenhouse and a walled kitchen garden.
Facilities
- Children’s play area
- Parking
- Plant sales
- Toilets
Key features
- Woodland
- Herbaceous border
- Glasshouse (open to public)
- Arboretum
- Water garden
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.