Threave Garden & Nature Reserve


Partner Garden
Free access for RHS members at selected times

Castle Douglas
Dumfries & Galloway
DG7 1RX

Off A75, 1 mile west of Castle Douglas.

64 acres

Tel
01556 502575

Visit website

Opening Hours

25 Mar–31 Oct. Please see website for opening times.

Admission

Please see website for admission prices.

RHS members

Free access (member 1 only for joint memberships) applies Wed & Thu.

Facilities

  • Assistance dogs only
  • Baby changing facilities
  • Children’s play area
  • Free carer entry
  • Gift shop
  • Parking
  • Picnic area
  • Plant sales
  • Refreshments
  • Toilets

Features

  • Autumn colour
  • Glasshouse (open to public)
  • Herbaceous border
  • Woodland

About the garden

Owned by
Michael Lawrie

Threave’s wonderful garden has been created over the years by students of the Trust’s School of Heritage Gardening – and is a fine example of landscaped beauty. The garden is divided into a series of smaller gardens to showcase different styles, including a rose garden, rockery and walled garden.

At the centre stands Threave House, designed in the Scottish Baronial style in 1871 for the Gordon family. Many of its rooms are displayed as they were in the 1930s.

Follow our Diamond Trail to see the 60 new trees we’ve planted to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the National Trust for Scotland’s School of Heritage Gardening.

The wider estate caters for more adventurous tastes, and includes our flagship bat reserve. The nature reserve is a Special Protection Area for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl – pink-footed geese and Greenland white-fronted geese are regular visitors.    

Plants of special interest

  • Agapanthus
  • Alliums
  • Alpines
  • Asters
  • Autumn bulbs
  • Begonias
  • Bluebells
  • Cacti & succulents
  • Camellias
  • Clematis
  • Conifers
  • Cornus (for winter stems or spring bracts)
  • Cut flowers
  • Cyclamen
  • Daffodils
  • Dahlias
  • Delphiniums
  • Ferns
  • Fruit blossom
  • Fruit bushes/trees
  • Fuchsias
  • Grasses
  • Heathers
  • Hellebores
  • Hemerocallis
  • Herbs
  • Hostas
  • Irises
  • Laburnum
  • Lavender
  • Lilies
  • Magnolias
  • Maple
  • Meconopsis
  • Orchids
  • Primulas
  • Rhododendrons/azaleas
  • Roses
  • Shade-loving plants
  • Snowdrops
  • Spring bulbs
  • Sweet peas
  • Topiary
  • Vegetables
  • Waterlilies
  • Wildflowers
  • Wisteria

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.