The Gardens of Scone are to the south-east of the Palace and amongst the trees underneath the magnificent, towering conifers of the Victorian Pinetum there is much to see and admire. The trees at Scone forge another strong link with the past, from the fine old cedars of Lebanon around the chapel, to the rare and exotic conifers in the 4th Earl’s mid-19th century pinetum.
The first delights of the year are the flowering displays of the snowdrops in mid-winter including our very own Galanthus plicatus ‘Scone Palace’. Following this are the equally impressive colourful drifts of daffodils that are in full bloom to welcome in the spring. Mounds of pinks, purples and reds of the Rhododendrons that flower in May prove a useful backdrop during the summer for the shrubs and perennials in the borders of the Flower Garden. The Kitchen Garden provides vegetables all year round for consumption in the Palace Coffee Shop while sweet peas, Aquilegia and Dianthus are among the cut flowers grown in this part of the gardens for seasonal displays in the Palace.
Plant collections of Iris and Philadelphus are growing in the varied conditions suited to them that the gardens has to offer. In 2013 work started to establish a collection of Acers which will adorn the gardens producing a fabulous display of colour in the autumn for years to come. Following one of the 3 walking routes around the gardens will guide you around these beautiful areas and offer a chance to discover and explore more of Scone’s fascinating history.