🌿 How visiting gardens can transform your own space
A guide to getting inspired, learning from others, and bringing fresh ideas home.
A garden is never truly finished — and that’s one of the best things about nurturing an outdoor space.
Gardens are always growing, changing, evolving. As gardeners, we’re constantly learning, experimenting, and refining. And while books, online resources and social media can be great for generating ideas, I personally think nothing compares to seeing a garden in real life.
Whether it’s a grand formal estate, a quirky back garden, or a university planting scheme — visiting other gardens can definitely help to spark creativity, help solve challenges in your own space, and remind you that there’s no ‘right’ way to grow.
🌼 Why garden visits are so valuable
Seeing a garden in real life gives you more than pretty views. There are so many benefits, including:
Real-life planting combinations – it’s fascinating to see what plants look good together, and what other gardeners have chosen as their ‘favourite combinations’. Plus, if you are visiting a garden close to your own home, the likelihood is that the exact combination will work well in your own garden too
Practical ideas for layout, structure, and materials – you might see a little seating nook, a clever low-maintenance border, or how a vista has been framed by an ornament or gap in a hedge - its so fun to see how others have played with their spaces and made them work
Inspiration for seasonal interest – what’s blooming now? What carries the space through winter? How have they created a garden that is full of spring interest? Take home the ideas to plug gaps in your own borders
Problem-solving insight – especially useful for tricky shady areas, clay soil, or exposed spots
And perhaps most importantly — you see what’s possible. Even the smallest space can be bursting with colour, scent, texture and life - not only in summer but in every season.
🌿 Where to go for inspiration
1. National Trust for Scotland properties
These well-tended, often historic gardens are full of planting knowledge, design structure and thoughtful care. My personal favourites are Greenbank Gardens in Glasgow, or Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. There’s generations of planting wisdom at these sites, and lots of tips for ornamental planting, as well as growing edibles.
2. Scotland’s Garden Scheme
A brilliant initiative where private gardeners open their gardens to the public — often just for a day or two. You’ll find everything from tiny courtyard plots to large countryside spaces, and many owners are happy to chat about their garden’s journey. Here is the link to the site, where you can search for properties near you. A proportion of the money you pay to visit the garden goes to charity too.
3. Public and community planting
You’d be surprised how much inspiration is tucked into everyday places. Look at:
University campuses (like the new Glasgow University campus at the foot of Byres Road, or the Strathclyde Uni planting in the city centre)
Business parks, like the West of Scotland Science Park, who are endeavouring to make their campus into a more naturalistic style planting space, with lots of ornamental grasses and edibles, for office workers and visitors passing through
Council-maintained spaces
These are often designed for impact with low maintenance and low watering requirements — which is useful for time-pressed gardeners.
4. Friends’ gardens and gardening clubs
A relaxed chat over a cuppa in a friend’s garden can be just as inspiring as a grand tour. Clubs often organise visits, too — and they’re a great way to connect with likeminded growers.
5. Your own neighbourhood
Get outside and go for a wander. What’s growing well nearby? What planting styles do you like? Take photos, make notes, ask questions — this is inspiration grounded in your local soil and climate.
👩🌾 Make the most of each visit
To get the best out of your garden trips:
Take a notebook or use your phone to capture planting combinations, layout ideas, and questions
Notice sun and shade – what’s thriving in each spot?
If you can, chat to the gardener. Ask about their soil, biggest successes, biggest mistakes — most love to share their knowledge :)
Reflect after each visit: What inspired you? What ideas could work in your own space?
🌱 What you’ll learn from other gardens
Besides inspiration, garden visits teach you:
How different design styles feel in real life – formal, informal, naturalistic, cottage-style, woodland and more
Which plant combinations work well together – for structure, colour, or seasonal flow
How others tackle common issues like wind, poor drainage, pests or limited sun
Why gardens evolve over time – you’ll often hear the story behind a garden, and how it's grown with the gardener’s experience
💚 Final thoughts
Garden inspiration doesn’t happen on its own. Getting outside and into other gardens can help you feel more confident, more creative, and more connected to the natural world.
There’s always something to learn, something to admire, and something to bring home — even if it’s just the motivation to pick up your trowel and get planting.
📍 Want to find some local gardens to visit?
Check out:
Your local community noticeboards and gardening groups
Nicola
The Bonnie Gardener
nicola@thebonniegardener.co.uk
