Visit to Dumfries House

Published on by Catherine

My visit to Dumfries House last week with my husband was the first since before the pandemic when we went with our daughter, her husband and the two children. The grounds had partly left spring behind, most noticeably in the walled gardens. Elsewhere though, spring loveliness was still a treat.

The car parks were busy, but apart from the area around the cafe, the grounds were large enough to absorb the visitors and on our walks, we barely passed a soul. It was lightly overcast, but warm and perfect for a leisurely walk.

Perfect weather conditions for a walk.

The Chinese Bridge crosses the river, Lugar Water and was inspired by a drawing by Scottish architect Robert Weir Schultz in 1899. It comes as quite a surprise to round the bend and see it for the first time; everyone stops there to have photos taken in the pagoda.

The Chinese Bridge

The Woodland Shelter sits at the centre of the Arboretum and was created by the students of The Prince’s Foundation.

The Woodland Shelter

The Arboretum is punctuated with azaleas, spring blossom and here and there, clumps of tall blue Camassias. After all the wind and rain we’ve had I was excited to find masses of healthy blossom adorning the trees. Unlike my more exposed garden at home, where the apple and Amelanchier blossom didn’t stay attached to the trees long enough for me to grab the camera this year, it was a joy to see the trees still heavy with flowers.

  • Spring blossom
  • An abundance of flowers
  • Vivid Pink Azalea
  • Camassia

The Queen Elizabeth Walled Garden is always a delightful space for garden enthusiasts and the general public alike. By early May, the tulips had faded, making way for the growth of delphinium foliage and the imminent bloom of Alliums. The gardeners were busy preparing the garden for summer and I’m looking forward to returning then to enjoy the perennial beds, borders, and beautiful roses. However, last week, the blossom on the trees and the immaculate grounds provided us with plenty to appreciate.

Inside the Walled Garden

Lunch. By midday, the sun was out and we were getting a bit too warm. It was time to move on and wynd our way back to the cafe for lunch. We took a slightly different route back and along the way, we came across many Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Magnolia and various other flowering shrubs.

  • One of the winding paths
  • Deep red and gorgeous
  • Beautiful colours
  • The branch was low enough for me to get a photo

Gunnera manicata. Before we reached the cafe we passed an area where Giant Rhubarb was growing. Giant Rhubarb (Gunnera manicata) is now considered to be an invasive species and has been banned by the UK Government. They’re a much-loved plant, usually growing around lakes and ponds in historic gardens and parks. The ban means that they can’t be propagated or sold, but if they’re already established in an area it’s fine to leave them there as long as they don’t pose a risk of spreading. The smaller species e.g. Gunnera magellanica is not covered by the ban.

Giant Rhubarb, spring growth

And finally, after our lunch, and on a detour back to the car, we came across Bluebells, Cowslip and Dicentra spectabilis – Bleeding Heart.

  • Cowslip & Bluebells
  • Calming blue
  • Bleeding Heart

This post is only a small glimpse of what Dumfries House has to offer. It’s a place that needs to be explored in depth and in person.

Dumfries House is set on 2000 acres and is part of The King’s Foundation. General admission to the estate is free, but there is a charge for the Queen Elizabeth Garden and House Tours. The five-acre walled garden is one of the biggest in Scotland and not to be missed.

To learn about Dumfries House, its history, antiquities, grounds and education programmes for young people and more, use the link below.

Dumfries House, Cumnock, Ayrshire, KA18 2NJ Scotland

Catherine 😊

18 thoughts on “Visit to Dumfries House”

  1. This looks like a beautifully kept estate Catherine. It really is lovely. I have never been there… perhaps one day! I looked on google maps and it is enormous! You covered quite a bit of ground I imagine. I know a garden near where I grew up where they had not only Gunnera but masses of Japanese knotweed! They managed to eradicate almost all of it I think, and completely replanted one area of the garden. (Cottesbrook Hall, Northants). I hope you will visit again in summer and share more photos. Is it near enough for frequent visits?

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    1. Oh, Japanese knotweed is supposed to be awful to deal with! That could be a death sentence for a garden, but I’m glad the owners managed to remove it all.

      Dumfries House is only a 45 minute drive for us. We’ll probably go back during school holidays when we have grandchildren with us – there’s a fun ‘engineering’ play area and an adventure play park, but I’d like to visit without them too – just to take some plant photographs! We’ll probably go to Culzean Castle first, it’s 50 minute drive and has fabulous summer borders. Do you have gardens nearby that you enjoy visiting?

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      1. There is one sort of garden/park nearby that I am visiting this weekend. Not at all like English or Scottish gardens though. We don’t have anything comparable near here! I think there are a few in northern Germany, and we do have botanical gardens. But they are also not as extensive as any in the UK. One day I hope to do a ‘grand tour’ of UK gardens and my list gets longer all the time. But it it won’t be while we still have our old doggie. 🐾🐾

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        1. Everything comes in its own time, and one day you’ll get to see many of the gardens on your list. Meantime, your old doggie takes centre stage and I hope you have him with you for years to come. 🐾

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    1. Yes, they can be a joy to be in for a few hours. When I leave, my head is always bursting with new ideas that are usually completely impractical for a much, much smaller space! 😆

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    1. Yes, it’s a great combination. They were growing together in a small area, but I’d like to think that they will spread in time.

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    1. I’ll go back in early summer to see the Walled Garden with its summer blooms. It’s just 45 minutes from here, all we need is a dry day and free time! 😄

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