Dumfries House, Cumnock, Ayrshire, KA18 2NJ

As the site of one of Scotland’s finest country houses, Dumfries House estate now welcomes more than 140,000 visitors every year. Not bad for an estate that remained closed to the public for more than 250 years.

In 2007, the house designed by John and Robert Adam, its contents and the grounds were put up for sale on the open market. Just weeks before the treasured collection of Chippendale furniture was due to go on sale at auction, HRH The Prince of Wales intervened to save the estate from dispersal and opened it up the public.

Visitors to 2000-acre estate in East Ayrshire can now enjoy several beautiful gardens including one of the largest walled gardens in Scotland, which was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in July 2014 following a meticulous restoration project undertaken by a team of dedicated volunteers and estate staff.

The five-acre Queen Elizabeth Walled Garden, which sits on the banks of the Lugar Water, features a unique 12-metre drop from north to south and a Thistle Fountain, which was designed and constructed by William Pye. In November, rich autumnal colours abound in the manicured garden. Visitors can expect to be surrounded by a vast array of plants and flowers, including dianthus devon wizards, vanda orchids and steptocarpus, which is widely known to be one of The Prince’s favourite flowers.

The Queen Elizabeth Walled Garden at Dumfries House is open all year-round and tickets can be purchased from the Dumfries House Visitor Centre for £3pp. All the other gardens on the estate are free to visit.

Website: https://dumfries-house.org.uk/

Telephone: 01290 425 959

Opening hours: 9am - 4.30pm

Garden of the Week is in association with Discover Scottish Gardens. For more information, advice and day-out ideas, visit discoverscottishgardens.org