Visit Scotland in conjunction with the Scottish Gardening Society has launched a Scottish Snowdrop Festival Trail across Scotland. As part of these activities Castle Kennedy and Gardens is opening its woodlands and gardens to show its remarkable snowdrops to visitors for the first time. Benefiting charities include: Queens Nursing Institute Scotland, Gardening Fund for the National Trust for Scotland, Perennial (Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society) and the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. Come and see the impressive spectacle of snowdrops in the gardens and surrounding woodlands with special signed loch-side walks and car drives, including banks of bluebells and daffodils in season. There will also be snowdrop talks, garden tours, plant sales, gift-shop and tea-room with home-made teas, hot soups and jacket potatoes. Why not head out of doors and clear away the cobwebs with a woodland walk, and see the inspiring snowdrops in the winter light at Castle Kennedy & Gardens.

Located in beautiful scenery on an isthmus between two large natural lochs, the gardens extend to 75 acres of carefully landscaped terraces and avenues. With the ruined and historic 16th century Castle Kennedy at one end, and Lochinch Castle, completed in 1864 at the other, the gardens are laid out around a two acre circular lily pond. The terraces and embankments were built mostly in the 18th century by men and horses, and several are based on military fortifications used at that time. Many of the avenues contain specimen trees grown from original seed brought to this country over a hunderd years ago. Situated close to the Gulf Stream the gardens are particularly famous for the displays of rhododendrons, azaleas, embothriums and tender exotic plants. The Monkey Puzzle Avenue is unique in size and is over 100 years old. These spiked leaf trees form a particularly impressive avenue from the lily pond towards Lochinch Castle.

The gardens and snowdrop woodlands and car drives will be open on Sundays during February and March between 10 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. Thereafter the gardens will be open on a daily basis, as usual, from the 1st April until the 30th of September. Tickets: Adults £4.00, Concessions £3.00, Children £1.00