Benmore Botanic Garden, Cowal Peninsula, Argyll and Bute

Benmore Botanic Garden (click / tap to enlarge)

Benmore Botanic Garden on the Cowal Peninsula is a 120 acre mountainside garden belonging to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). The garden boasts a world-famous collection of plants with distinct hillside areas representing Japan, Bhutan, Chile and Tasmania. Visiting these areas makes you feel like you're actually on a hillside in one of these countries! Other highlights include an avenue of Giant Redwood trees that are amongst the oldest in Europe and a fine Victorian Fernery. The garden is also famous for its several thousand rhododendrons that explode into a riot of colour in spring / early summer. 

Officially, the gardens are open daily from 1 March - 31 October, 10am - 5pm. Admission is currently £8 with gift aid (£7 concessions, children 15 yrs and under are free). There's a large free car park, so parking shouldn't be an issue. The main visitor centre area includes toilet facilities and also a great little outdoor café. The café has dog friendly outdoor seating and you can also get water for the dogs there.

Except for the Fernery, the whole garden is dog friendly, though dogs should be kept on a short lead at all times. NB the RBGE website mentions only assistance dogs being allowed but as of our visit last month and as per signage at the garden itself, all dogs ARE permitted, provided they are kept on a short lead.

Outside of the advertised opening dates, the gardens are "officially" closed but visitors are still allowed and admission is not charged. The main entrance, café and visitor facilities are all closed but the garden itself is generally always open. Just walk up the private road over the river on the west side of the car park, follow the road as it bends right and you'll come to the gate for the gardens a short way down on the left hand side. Be aware that there is a programme of works undertaken during the winter months so please be alert to and obey, any warning signs in place.

We had a great time visiting the garden and spent quite a few hours wandering around. I've not created a route to follow as that would be too prescriptive and would detract from the joy of wandering around and exploring. You'll find a board with a map of the park in front of the main entrance and I've also included a photo of it below. If you visit in season, you'll also get a map included with the admission fee.

All information is current of our last visit in September 2022. All images can be clicked / tapped to enlarge them. You can find more information about the garden from the official website here. Click here for link to the garden's location on Google Maps.

You'll find this map of the gardens in the car park just outside the visitor centre (click/tap to enlarge)

Here are some more photos from our last visit:

The path from the visitor centre crosses over a bridge across the attractive River Eachaig

Jasper at the Japanese planted area near the pond

Tommy looking like he's taking his posing responsibilities very seriously!

Puck's Hut with courtyard tower in the distance

The pond and Dolphin Fountain. The Japanese trees are strikingly reflected in the water.

The reflections in the water make this scene reminiscent of a Monet painting

The avenue of Giant Redwood trees

A variety of towering trees are found throughout the garden

View out towards Holy Loch taken from the path to the viewpoint shelter

A young Monkey Puzzle Tree in the Chilean Rainforest area

The Chilean Viewpoint Refuge

Jasper and Tommy outside the Chilean Viewpoint Refuge

Chilean Shelter ("The Condor")

At the bottom of the hillside the paths wind around and cross back and forth over a stream

Looking back up at the Bhutanese Glade

Jasper in front of a column sculpture in the Bhutanese Glade

"There's something behind me isn't there?"

The Victorian Fernery and view beyond

On the way back to the visitor centre, a rainbow presented itself over the river