Scone Palace Gardens

Scone Palace Gardens

Scone's gardens carry the legacy of David Douglas — the legendary plant hunter born on the estate in 1798 — who introduced more than 200 species to Britain, including the Douglas Fir, the first of which in Scotland was grown here from seed he sent from North America in 1826. A magnificent Victorian pinetum, established in 1848, contains giant conifers from across the world, while a sycamore said to have been planted by King James VI in 1617 stands as a living link to the distant past. The landscape was remodelled in the early 19th century to the designs of the celebrated horticultural writer John Loudon, and today includes herbaceous borders, an arboretum, and the Murray Star Maze. Every tree here tells a story — of royal visits, of plant hunting expeditions, and of the centuries‑old tradition of cultivation on this historic ground beside the River Tay.