Explorers Garden
Free RHS Member days
Tuesday and Wednesday, when open
About the garden
On the wooded hillside above Pitlochry Festival Theatre, the Explorers Garden is a tribute to Scotland’s plant hunters. This beautifully designed space invites visitors to embark on a journey around the globe without leaving Highland Perthshire. The garden is divided into global sections that reflect the distant regions explored by Scottish botanical pioneers over the past 300 years. From the Himalayan mountains to the temperate forests of North America, each area showcases rare and exotic plants introduced to Britain by Scots.
In spring and early summer, the garden bursts into colour with waves of vivid Primulas and over 120 species of Rhododendrons all blooming in spectacular succession. However, there is more to discover here than just plants. There is a sculpture and at the heart of the garden is an amphitheatre that showcases Scottish theatre performances and a striking pavilion crafted from Douglas fir that serves as a living tribute to David Douglas, one of Scotland’s greatest plant explorers.
The Explorers Garden provides a rich and inspiring experience in every season. With performances, events and ever-changing plant life, no two visits are ever the same.
Facilities
- Accessible garden
- Children’s play area
- Dogs welcome
- Parking
- Plant sales
- Refreshments
- Toilets
Key features
- Sculpture
- Woodland
- Arboretum
- Japanese garden
- Autumn colour
- Champion trees
- National Plant Collections
Get involved
The RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.