The Scottish Tree Festival is organised by Discover Scottish Gardens, and runs from 28 September–2 December 2019. Each year, the festival promotes some of the best gardens and woodlands where you can enjoy the incredible sights of autumn.

Our events across Scotland give visitors the chance to discover more about our botanical beauties, enjoy the outdoors and perhaps capture some amazing photographs at the same time.

Highlights of this year’s festival include displays in Aberdeenshire, the Highlands and Fife.

Threave Garden, Dumfries & Galloway

Threave Garden Tree Workshop
Saturday 28 September

Join us for a special tree advice/planting workshop. This will include informative planting guidance and correct tree staking methods, allowing for both participation or viewing.

Threave Garden Tree Trail
Saturday 28 September–Sunday 1 December

Collect your map to follow our Specimen Champion Tree Trail around the garden. Our expert garden team is on hand to answer any questions on tree selection or planting instructions to establish your new tree, as well as help with identification of your garden trees and any problems that have occurred.

Hill of Tarvit, Fife

Hill of Tarvit Woodland
Saturday 28 September–Friday 4 October

Come and visit the Hill of Tarvit garden and estate, and explore over 100 acres of woodland. Enjoy hill top walks and woodland walks, and see both evergreen and deciduous plantings with superb Eucryphias. Other noteworthy trees include the filo pastry tree, Sequioadendron, Indian bean tree, Japanese pagoda tree, acers and the Herringbone elm.

Inverewe, Highlands

Champion Trees of Inverewe
Saturday 28 September–Thursday 31 October

A rare specimen tree, the variegated turkey oak (Quercus cerris ‘Variegata’) is believed to have been planted here in 1937 to commemorate the completion of the rebuilt Inverewe House. The house became the home of Mairi Sawyer, daughter of Osgood Mackenzie.

A ‘National Champion’ tree, it’s now one of the most remarkable trees in the garden. It comes late into leaf but, with its lichen-covered branches and architectural outline, it’s eye-catching all year round.

Branklyn Garden, Perth

Champion Trees of Branklyn Garden
Saturday 28 September–Thursday 31 October

Branklyn Garden was left to the National Trust for Scotland by Mr and Mrs Renton in the 1960s. The Rentons had laid out the garden from 1922.

There are many trees represented in the garden, two of which are Champion Trees in Scotland: Pinus sylvestris ‘Globosa’ and Carpinus betulus ‘Laciniata’. There are also many trees that visitors will enjoy for their autumn colour including: Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Betula grossa, Lindera obtusiloba, Nyssa sylvatica and many Acers.

Leith Hall, Aberdeenshire

Leith Hall Autumn Tree Trail
Saturday 28 September–Thursday 31 October

Our autumn self-guided tree trail is available from the front desk at Leith Hall during weekends, and from the Potting Shed in the car park on weekdays.

There’ll also be a guided trail from local forester Steve Brown (North East Chairman of the Royal Scottish Forestry Society). Please keep an eye on the Leith Hall events page for more information.

Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire

Crathes Tree Rubbing Trail
Saturday 28 September–Sunday 1 December

Collect your booklet and enjoy our tree-mendous Tree Rubbing Trail along our wonderful Woodland Walks, highlighting our historic and significant trees. Be sure to get your booklet stamped once you’ve completed the trail.

Glencoe, Argyll

Glencoe Woodland Walks
Saturday 28 September–Sunday 1 December

Take a walk from Glencoe Visitor Centre through a former Forestry Commission conifer plantation, now felled and replanted with mixed native species of trees by the Glencoe National Nature Reserve ranger team.

See how the new woodlands are taking shape and have a look for some of the native wildlife we’re trying to encourage back – foxes, badgers, roe deer, pine martens and more.

Fyvie Castle, Aberdeenshire

Fyvie Castle Tree Trail
Saturday 28 September–Sunday 1 December

Fyvie Castle is home to a huge range of beautiful and mighty hardwood and softwood trees. Walk around Fyvie Loch and see mature trees such as copper and green beech, oak and sycamore. Have a stroll through the American garden where you’ll see North American trees including Acer pensylvanicum (snake bark maple) and Liriodendron tulipifera (the tulip tree).

The huge Picea nobilis (red fir) on the main castle lawn was planted by His Majesty King Alfonso of Spain in 1906. Enter the walled Garden of Scottish Fruits and you’ll see one of the most complete collections of Scottish apple, pear and plum trees in the country.

Kellie Castle, Fife

A Festival of Fruit at Kellie Castle
Saturday 5–Sunday 13 October

A Festival of Fruit is a week-long event celebrating the diversity of our amazing apple trees. At Kellie, we have apples in abundance, with some 25 varieties – native, heritage and some cultivars now virtually unknown.

In our Victorian walled garden, productive trees stand amid manicured lawns and cover wide walls in formal shapes and distinct lines. A diverse and educational display will highlight the seasonality of our trees, the fruit they bear and how best to manage them.

Drum Castle, Aberdeenshire

Old Wood of Drum Castle
Saturday 2 November

Join the rangers for a walk around the wonderful Old Wood of Drum and spend some time with our ancient trees. Find out why this Site of Special Scientific Interest is so important for wildlife. This event is suitable for adults and older children.