Pitmedden Garden

The basics

Visiting Pitmedden Gardens is a horticulturalist’s dream. Painstakingly restored and recreated during the postwar period of the 1950s, the landscaping and garden designs take inspiration from the 16th-century walled garden to contemporary planting and space use. The estate which Pitmedden is part of is also home to a heritage agriculture museum. Learn how different this Highland landscape once looked and how local people lived and worked in the hills and glens.

Things to know before you go

• The garden, tea shop, and museum are closed between November and April.

• This is a National Trust site—entry is free if you’re a member. Family discounts are available.

• Accessible toilets and parking are available to all visitors, as well as baby changing facilities.

• The paths are well-kept, but it’s a large garden, so wear comfortable shoes suitable for a bit of rain.

How to get there

Take the A490 north of Aberdeen and keep going until you reach Pitmedden. It’s a 15-mile (24-kilometer) drive and well-signposted from Pitmedden Village. By local transport, take the yellow line 290 or 291 bus from Aberdeen bus station, which takes around an hour.

When to get there

Pitmedden Garden is at its ostentatious best in the summer, but it can get busy during the school Easter and summer holidays. Try late summer or autumn for just as much color and fewer crowds. The garden, museum, and tea room is closed during winter, but in April, it reopens to display early floral colors.

Taste local fruit grown in a royal garden at Pitmedden

The last Sunday of September is Apple Sunday at Pitmedden Garden. This annual tradition celebrates the bounty of fruit and flowers ready to harvest at this time of year, and every year, visitors are welcome to taste local apples and pears—and buy some to take home. Enjoy lawn games and live music by local folk musicians, and see vintage tractors on the estate grounds, all on this special day.