Crarae Gardens

Lovely garden beside Loch Fyne set in dramatic glen setting. Best times May and autumn but worth visiting any time.

Four miles further down the A83 is one of Scotland's very best public gardens, dramatically set in a deep wooded glen on the shores of Loch Fyne. There are marked woodland walks winding their way through a spectacular array of rhododendrons, azaleas and numerous other exotic plants towards the tumbling waterfalls of the "Himalayan Gorge".

May is a good time to see the gardens in full bloom, as is autumn for the vast variety of deciduous trees, but any time of year is worth it.

"Spectacular 50-acre woodland garden in a dramatic setting. Crarae has a wonderful collection of woody plants centred on the Crarae Burn, which is spanned by several bridges and tumbles through a rocky gorge in a series of cascades. A wide variety of shrubs and trees chosen for spring flowering and autumn colour grow in the shelter of towering conifers, and the lush, naturalistic planting and rushing water gives the feel of a Himalayan valley.

Since acquiring the garden in 2001, the National Trust for Scotland has restored the infrastructure, replacing bridges, steps and paths, and new plantings include many recently collected, wild-origin Rhododendrons. The National Collection of Nothofagus is to be found at Crarae."

Email

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Website

http://www.nts.org.uk

Address Details

Crarae Garden, Minard, Inveraray, Argyll,

Inveraray

PA32 8YA

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Inveraray Castle

Home to Clan Campbell's chief and a substantial baronial pile built in 1743 on the site of previous castle. Open to visitors and includes lovely gardens.
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Nearby Visitor Attractions

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Inveraray Maritime Museum

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Auchindrain Township

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