£6.50 entry (free for carers and kids under 6) The 2.5-acre (one hectare)Victorian walled garden at Cambo Estate in Fife flowers with lilacs, rambling roses, elegant willows and naturalistic plantings that lend it a wild and romantic feel despite being carefully cultivated. Right now it is carpeted with tulips, and a visit later in summer will reward you with peonies. Cambo Burn runs through the garden – you can stop to admire it from the wrought-iron bridge – and there’s even a burbling waterfall. Within the wider estate lies a winter garden and North American style prairie with tall grasses. Recent investment means the newly reopened Cambo Garden shop is now double the size with a wide variety of cut flowers, plants and gifts for sale.
As National Gardening Week came to a close, we’re gearing up to get green-fingered again. And where better to seek inspiration than in Scotland’s gorgeous outdoor spaces? From castles with historic walled gardens to botanic idylls with their own microclimate and even contemporary sculpture parks, you might be surprised by the diversity found across the country. Whether you want to admire the rhododendrons in bloom at this time of year or you really miss the sight of palm trees, you’ll find no shortage of options to sate your inner botanist. Drummond Castle Gardens, Crieff
£10 entry (£4 kids 5-16)
As National Gardening Week comes to a close, we’re gearing up to get green-fingered again. And where better to seek inspiration than in Scotland’s gorgeous outdoor spaces? From castles with historic walled gardens to botanic idylls with their own microclimate and even contemporary sculpture parks, you might be surprised by the diversity found across the country. Whether you want to admire the rhododendrons in bloom at this time of year or you really miss the sight of palm trees, you’ll find no shortage of options to sate your inner botanist. By Natasha Radmehr
Drummond Castle Gardens, Crieff
THE electoral race gets tighter all the time, and one way we can tell that is from the number of often dubious promises whistling through the ether. The tighter the race gets, the more obscure and specialised the political pledges become. My favourite one so far is from Alasdair Allan (below), MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, a job which for a son of Selkirk might need some explanation. At university he started studying Scots language and literature, but that did not apparently exhaust his patriotic appetites, so he added Gaelic too. The politics of the language has engaged him since he got elected to Holyrood in 2007.
3. Peak District, England
The UK’s first national park is worth your time at the wheel for any number of reasons. Think about limestone plateaux, deep caverns, fully coloured-in heather moorlands and cosy pubs connected by screw-shaped roads that offer every sort of car rally thrill. Buxton, with its spa history and graceful heritage buildings, is the ideal starter, before you head east to Bakewell, for puddings and tarts. Once full to the brim, push north to ogle the underground jewels at Peak Cavern and Blue John Cavern. Bring a daypack for a hike – try Mam Tor for lung-emptying views – then tighten your seatbelt for the heartstring-plucking ride over thrilling Snake Pass to Glossop.