Monteviot House Gardens

About the garden

The Gardens at Monteviot are situated on a dramatic slope overlooking the Teviot Valley. At the front of the house, a Taxus-hedged herb garden and terrace offer breathtaking views of the river below. Inspired by Italian design, the sheltered terraced rose garden reflects a Victorian style. In contrast, the adjacent river garden was redesigned in the 1960s by the renowned designer Percy Cane, an eight-time Chelsea gold medal winner. 

A laburnum arch leads visitors to the water garden, where three islands are connected by elegant, curved wooden bridges and planted with marsh plants and bamboo. Of all the nine gardens, the Garden of Persistent Imagination stands out as the most adventurous. This eclectic space combines natural stone structures with horticulture, paying tribute to early 20th-century art movements. Features of this garden include a winding rose avenue, a meditation area leading to a large stone Moon Gate and a surrealist-inspired planting resembling a ‘Dali clock’.