Ayrshire and Arran gardens are blooming great

Ayrshire and Arran’s botanical gardens and woodland trails can help the visitor economy to blossom into the autumn, says VisitScotland.

Nearly half of visitors to Ayrshire and Arran went to a country park or garden (48%) of those responding to the latest Scotland Visitor Survey (38%), commissioned by the national tourism organisation.

Landscaped gardens offer a space to enjoy the natural beauty and tranquillity of plant life, with themed displays, and educational conservation programmes. These findings present an opportunity to encourage visitors to plan a trip to Ayrshire and Arran where they can enjoy these attractions up and down the region.

The insights also reveal most visitors to Ayrshire and Arran said scenery and landscape (77%) were the main reason for choosing Scotland.

Connecting with nature or to be outdoors is the joint most popular reason for people taking a holiday in Scotland overall, representing more than of a third of those surveyed (38%).

More than half of visitors said a trip to Scotland enhanced their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing (59%).

For UK visitors intending on taking a trip to Scotland in autumn and winter this year, connecting with nature remains a key motivation for all Scottish destinations with most intended activities having a nature focus, according to VisitScotland’s insights.

Culzean Castle and Country Park, Maybole, was in the top ten paid attractions in Scotland in 2023 with 291,674 visits, according to The Scottish Visitor Attraction Monitor, by the Moffat Centre, Glasgow Caledonian University.

Cared for by the National Trust for Scotland, the Walled Garden at Culzean is one of the largest in Scotland.

The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Alloway, attracted 206, 754 visitors in 2023 The Association of Leading Visitor Attraction figures show, and includes Burns Monument Garden, with a 21m high Grecian-style monument at the centre of this garden. It celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2023 and has a mix of Mediterranean plants and native species of roses, grasses and evergreens.

Brodick Castle, Garden and Country Park on Arran attracted 57,234 visitors in 2023, according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions. It features formal gardens, woodland, waterfalls, bathing pools and rhododendrons, with views over Brodick Bay to the Ayrshire coast.

Dumfries House Estate Grounds, Cumnock has ancient trees, the Adam Bridge, river walks, and wildlife.

VisitScotland’s Regional Director Lynsey Eckford said: “We know many visitors are looking for those experiences to allow them to get closer to nature. Gardens and woodland trails can be enjoyed all year round as the colours change with the seasons. We’re using our marketing activity and working with the local tourism industry partners to influence potential visitors at those early planning stages. Attracting visitors to Ayrshire and Arran’s gardens benefits the many hospitality businesses and shops near the attractions, supports local supply chains and conservation programmes, provides employment and grows the wider economy.”

 Ian McLelland, the National Trust for Scotland’s Regional Director for the South & West, said: “Scotland’s beautiful gardens are ideal places to connect with plants and nature and to enjoy the wellbeing benefits they bring, including the grandeur of Culzean and the historical importance of the Burns Monument Garden in Ayrshire. There’s a rich diversity of gardens for people of all ages for people to enjoy and make memories. We look forward to welcoming them.”

Dougal Philip, Discover Scottish Gardens Board of Directors said: “Visiting gardens seems to be a national pastime, whether as a day out with family or friends in the most wonderful setting of a garden or as an exploration of different plants and gardens by very keen gardeners.

“Gardens offer the perfect place to unwind your mind from the busyness of everyday life. These spaces can do wonders for our mental health and well-being, whether it’s quiet space to reflect and rest, or a playground for all ages to explore and experience the beauty within Scotland’s gardens. Many gardens and their unique plant collections are world renown, playing vital roles in the conservation and protection of some of the world’s most precious plants.”

Ends

Scotland Visitor Survey 2023

Ayrshire and Arran - Tourism Statistics & Research

Domestic consumer sentiment tracker

The Scottish Visitor Attraction Monitor, the Moffat Centre, Glasgow Caledonian University

Visits made in 2023 to Visitor Attractions in membership with ALVA