Inverness Gardens
Itinerary
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House of Aigas
The House of Aigas gardens date back to the Victorian era. Planted in the 1880s the small arboretum boasts 61 species of trees including giant sequoias, western red cedars, Asian spruces, Japanese hibas and nootka cypresses, as well as many native hardwoods such as ash, English oak and lime. Over the last 27 years Lady Lucy Lister-Kaye, a dedicated gardener, has introduced extensive rockeries, shrubberies, herbaceous borders and two wildlife ponds. A blaze of colour throughout the year, the gardens host a rich array of species from miniature maples to azaleas and rhododendrons and blooms of heathers, lilies, honeysuckle and clematis.
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Beauly
Beauly, a pretty market town, is our stop for lunch. Here you can explore a range of shops and cafes. Beauly's name is thought to come from the words of Mary Queen of Scots when she visited in 1564 and commented 'C'est un beau lieu' (what a beautiful place). Don’t miss the ruined Priory, said to be dated from the 1200’s, mentioned in the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon. A visit to Campbell’s of Beauly, a tailor stocking tartan and tweed, is also a must.
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The Lookout
Gardening on the edge. This garden has been lovingly created from barren rock and truly encapsulates the challenges and opportunities that some gardens in the Highlands face.
A three-quarter-acre, elevated coastal garden, with incredible views over the Moray Firth, which is only for the sure-footed. This award-winning garden, featured on Beechgrove, has been created out of a rock base with shallow pockets of ground, planted to its advantage to encourage all aspects of wildlife. There is a small, sheltered courtyard, raised bed vegetable area, pretty cottage garden, scree and rock garden, rose arbour, rhododendrons, flowering shrubs, bamboos, trees and lily pond with waterside plants.
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Inverness Botanical Gardens
Set within the former walled garden of Bught House is Inverness Botanic Gardens, the most northerly Botanic Gardens in the UK. Glasshouses feature plants from tropical rainforests and arid locations around the world and these stand in beautiful formal gardens mixed with more relaxed informal areas such as a wildflower meadow.
