Garden Lovers Invited to Vote in UK First at Scone Palace Garden Fair

Gardening enthusiasts are invited to cast their votes in the eagerly anticipated People’s Choice Award as part of the Scottish Garden Design Competition, held during the Scone Palace Garden Fair.

Designed to highlight Scotland’s flourishing horticultural talent, the Scottish Garden Design Competition now features a second, unique category, the Showcase Gardens.

Demanding horticultural vision, creativity, and sustainability, this UK first offers a truly authentic gardening challenge: gardens must be designed to last and evolve over nine months, not just a single show.

The public vote, running for the duration of the event, will determine the People’s Choice Award in the Small Space Gardens category, featuring ten inspiring finalists.

Voting for the Showcase Gardens People’s Choice Award will also launch at the event, and will remain open until February 2026, giving visitors the chance to engage with these evolving garden installations throughout the year.

Viscount William Stormont commented: “On launching the Scottish Garden Design Competition in 2022, it was important to us to ensure the competition was manageable and affordable, to enable as many people as possible to take part.

“This innovative approach launched the Small Space Gardens competition, pairing finalists with local nurseries and garden centres who help bring their creations to life.

“What has become apparent in the past three years is the desire among Scotland’s gardening community to create larger, more intricate designs. I’m therefore very pleased to have introduced the Showcase Gardens category, which has set a new standard in competitive garden design.”

Finalists were selected by an esteemed judging panel including internationally acclaimed designer Paul Hervey-Brookes, RHS judges Dougal Philip and Lesley Watson, and Lewis Normand, President of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society.

The three Showcase Gardens are currently being installed within the historic Walled Garden at Scone Palace, where they will remain on display until February 2026. Visitors will experience the gardens across all four seasons—witnessing their transformation from spring blossoms to summer blooms, autumn hues, and winter forms.

Viscount Stormont continued, “In creating immersive garden displays that reflect nature’s full seasonal cycle, these Showcase Gardens offer evolving exhibits and a richer visitor experience for Garden Fair attendees and year-round visitors to the Palace Grounds.”

Finalists in the Small Space Gardens category have created a variety of captivating designs inspired by the theme of ‘hope’ and include stories that include a journey of navigating sight loss, a Slavic fairytale, and nature’s endless capacity for regeneration.

Three Scottish Garden Design Awards will be presented in each category:

• Overall Winner
• Highly Commended
• People’s Choice Award

Judged awards will be announced prior to the fair’s opening at 10am. The People’s Choice Award for Small Space Gardens will be decided by public vote on Friday 30^th May and presented at 12.00pm by Viscount William Stormont

Now in its fourth year, the Scone Palace Garden Fair is proudly sponsored by Dobbies Garden Centres, and is Scotland’s celebration of gardening, featuring top plant nurseries, garden centres, societies, crafts, and outdoor living displays.

Attendees can also enjoy expert talks from leading names in horticulture including Claire Bishop, Senior Houseplant Buyer for Dobbies and RHS Chair of Assessors, MT Donell of Scotland Grows, and presenters from BBC’s Beechgrove Garden.

Tickets to the Garden Fair are available here and includes access to the palace gardens and grounds.