WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30

Morning —After breakfast on your own at the hotel (included), we’ll check out of our hotel and board the bus for our trip northward.

Our first stop will be the 3-acre Dun Ard Garden in Fintry. Explore its variety of garden rooms, including vegetable gardens, perennial borders, an orchard, all set on terraces in the hillside, with breathtaking views of the Campsie Fells being offered up from time to time. Here, in beautiful and carefully planned contrast, meticulously managed hedges frame views of the wild landscape beyond.

Midday —We’ll stop in the nearby Stirling, sometimes called “The Gateway to the Highlands.” This ancient city holds much importance in the country’s military history because of its crossing point for the River Forth; and Scottish royalty lived in its castle in different eras. We’ll have some free time and lunch (on our own).  

Afternoon —This afternoon we’ll visit the impressive and formal Drummond Castle Gardens for a guided tour. Originally established in the 17^th century, these formal Renaissance style gardens feature parterres, fountains and statuary typical of the period. After a period of neglect, restorations in the 19^th and 20^th centuries brought them back to their formal glory, and the ancient yew hedges have been preserved. You’ll also be able to see a beech tree planted by Queen Victoria on her visit here in 1842. 

Evening — In late afternoon we’ll check into our hotel and resort, The Crieff Hydro, and dine together this evening in the hotel (included). Set on 900 acres, the Crieff Hydro has been welcoming guests since 1868, and its Victorian grandeur and sweeping estate views make it a memorable base for our nights in Perthshire.

Thursday, July 1

Morning — We’ll have breakfast on our own at the hotel (included), then embark for a day on the Fife peninsula. Our first stop will be Falkland Palace and Garden, a Stewart family royal vacation palace for centuries and National Trust property. The gardens surrounding the 12^th-century castle include a wildflower meadow, a woodland glade, water gardens, and an Arts and Crafts-style mixed garden installed in the late 1940s and early 1950s following a World War II conversion to vegetable growing. If you’re a fan of the television series Outlander, you may recognize some parts of the castle and surrounding areas, as some of the episodes were filmed here.

Midday —  We’ll enjoy some free time in the seaside town of St. Andrews, home of the world-famous university and golf course. Explore the cathedral ruins and medieval streets and architecture, find some lunch on your own or peruse the many shops, including the golf shops.

Afternoon —This afternoon we’ll drive along the Fife coast to the Cambo Estate, which features a stunning 2 ½-acre walled garden whose herbaceous borders evolve throughout the seasons. The many roses should be in their glory on our visit. We’ll also have a chance to take a look at the North American-inspired prairie garden, a rarity in Scotland, and a woodland garden with winding trails.

Evening — We’ll return to the Crieff Hydro for dinner together (included).

FRIDAY, July 2

Morning —This morning after breakfast (included) we bid farewell to the Crieff Hydro and make our way to nearby Perth for a visit to Branklyn Garden, a 2-acre hillside gem in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. Begun in 1922 when John and Dorothy Renton purchased a sloping orchard and built their Arts and Crafts house on it, the garden grew from a shared passion for rare plants — John shaping the design and layout, Dorothy mastering the botany and plant collection. Today their legacy includes a remarkable collection of rare alpine, peat-loving, and woodland plants, including magnificent rhododendrons, magnolias, and Japanese maples, and for North American gardeners, a particular treat: Branklyn is home to the National Collection of Meconopsis, the legendary Himalayan blue poppy, and an early July visit gives us an excellent chance of seeing these plants in bloom.

Midday — Now we’ll make our way into the Royal Deeside region, known for the stunning views in Cairngorms National Park. A visit to Scotland would not be complete without an introduction to its best-known export: Whisky. At the Royal Lochnagar Distillery, we’ll learn about the distillery’s distinguished history (including a visit from Prince Albert & Queen Victoria, which inspired its “royal” moniker), how the single malt is made, and enjoy a taste or two as well.

Afternoon — Next we’ll travel just one mile to Balmoral Castle, the private retreat of the British royal family since Victorian times, when Prince Albert & Queen Victoria purchased the estate. Every owner since then has put their mark on the gardens, which boast formal gardens, kitchen gardens, a conservatory, alpine terrace, water gardens, and the newly installed Thistle Maze. And the estate is managed with special attention to conservation and natural preservation. While we’re here, we’ll visit the gardens, see the ballroom, and have afternoon tea.

Evening —After our special time in Balmoral, we’ll travel to the village of Banchory and the Banchory Lodge, which overlooks the River Dee. Hike along the river, walk into the village for dinner on your own, or relax in the cozy hotel restaurant this evening. 

SATURDAY, July 3

Morning — After breakfast (included), we’ll take a short drive to nearby Crathes Castle this morning, where we’ll tour the unique turreted 16th-century structure and its fine Renaissance-era painted ceilings, oak paneling, and learn the story of the Burnett family, who were gifted the land in the 14th century and inhabited the estate for hundreds of years. The gardens are a work of art in their own right: Beautifully sculpted yews, such as the unique egg-and-cup topiary, punctuate exuberant Arts and Crafts-style mixed borders that fill the walled gardens framed by centuries-old hedges. Pesticide- and peat-free conservatories filled with unique plants, and newer projects — including the Evolution Garden, which showcases how plants developed through the eras, from prehistoric palms and cycads onward — unfold against the dramatic backdrop of the castle’s turrets.

Midday — Now we’ll have a chance to step behind a gate that is rarely open to the public. This afternoon we’ll visit a private Aberdeenshire garden, an intimate and personal space whose story we’ll share with you closer to the tour date. Before that, we’ll stop for a farm-to-table lunch experience at Grace Noble Highland Beef, where we’ll meet the cattle, learn about the estate, and sit down to a tasting of local beef paired with Scottish craft beverages — a genuine taste of Aberdeenshire’s farming heritage.

Afternoon — The remainder of the afternoon is yours to enjoy at your own pace in and around Banchory. The nearby Falls of Feugh are a short walk from the hotel and worth a visit — a dramatic rocky gorge where the River Feugh tumbles down into the River Dee. Stroll into the village for a browse and perhaps a treat at one of its cafés, or simply settle in at the Banchory Lodge and enjoy the view of the river.