Dawyck Botanic Garden

Dawyck Botanic Garden lies in the Upper Tweed Valley, eight miles south-west of Peebles in the Scottish Borders. The 25-hectare site is part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s network of regional gardens. It sits within a National Scenic Area, surrounded by rolling hills and the River Tweed. The garden’s history reaches back to the 12th century, when it was known as ‘Dawic’. The Veitch family began planting in the 17th century, and later owners supported explorers such as David Douglas. In 1978 the Balfour family donated the garden to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Three of the Scottish Borders’ eleven Heritage Trees grow here, including a towering Silver Fir planted long ago. Visitors walk beneath ancient trees like the Dawyck Larch, planted in 1725. The Dawyck Beech shows its distinctive upswept branches against the skyline. A private chapel from 1837 stands within the grounds, marking the site of an earlier place of worship. The garden offers quiet paths through varied landscapes, with views of the surrounding hills.