Forth Valley gardens are blooming great

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

Connecting with nature or to be outdoors is the joint most popular reason for people taking a holiday, representing more than of a third of those responding to the latest Scotland Visitor Survey (38%), commissioned by the national tourism organisation.

The insights also reveal most people visiting Forth Valley said scenery and landscape (81%) were the main reason for choosing Scotland with nearly a third (30%) referencing the outdoor activities on offer.

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 the Forth Valley area.

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.

Stirling Castle was in the top ten paid attractions in Scotland in 2023 with 517,299 visits, according to The Scottish Visitor Attraction Monitor, by the Moffat Centre, Glasgow Caledonian University.

The castle houses The Queen Anne Gardens, which features rose beds, an herbaceous border, a heather and herb garden and a twin beech tree which is over 200 years old.

The Pineapple, Falkirk, once grew a variety of unusual fruits and vegetables in the extensive glasshouses and pineapple pits in the Pineapple’s walled garden, now a haven for wildlife.

Callendar Park, in the town covers over 170 acres and is listed in The Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland. It includes an Arboretum, Ornamental Gardens and a family Mausoleum.

The Japanese Garden, Cowden, consists of several acres of Japanese influenced landscape with a perimeter path around the small loch, while Dollar Glen offers walks, deep gorges, waterfalls and an abundance of plants and wildlife and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

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 Forth Valley’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.”

Stuart Maxwell, the National Trust for Scotland’s Regional Director for Edinburgh and East, said: “Scotland’s beautiful gardens are ideal places to connect with plants and nature and to enjoy the wellbeing benefits they bring. With places like the wonderful strangeness of the Pineapple, near Falkirk, there’s a rich diversity of gardens in the Forth Valley for people of all ages 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.”

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Scotland Visitor Survey 2023

Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Stirling and Forth Valley - Research

Domestic consumer sentiment tracker UK Residents Holiday Sentiment Tracker

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