Spring and summer offer perfect opportunities to enjoy and explore the surrounding gardens, wildlife and views. Loch Melfort is situated in an area which leaves us spoilt for choice, with an abundance of nature right on our door step.
Argyll boasts 20 gardens, spread across the mainland and the inner hebrides, ranging from winding woodland paths, to walled gardens brimming with plants, and secret, hidden away gardens.
Arduaine
Right next to door to Loch Melfort, Arduaine is a beautiful woodland garden which offers the perfect place for a gentle stroll from our grounds.
The weather on the West Coast is unique, with the Gulf Stream helping to warm it. This has allowed for some rare species from South America and East Asia to thrive. Summer at Arduaine sees the blossoming of the popular Chilean climber Tropaeolum speciosum, nicknamed the Scotch Flame Flower.
The warmer weather has also allowed for many plant species to bloom, such as the extensive variety of rhododendrons, with many being considered to be rather delicate and difficult to grow.
Rhododendrons have a special place at Arduaine, with the spring and summer months heralding the flowering of sweet scented rhododendrons. Summer also means the perennial borders reach their full bloom, with the beautiful powder-blue Chatham Island forget-me-not reaching their peak flowering.
So there is no better time to visit than the coming months. Click here to make a booking.
Argyll Gardens
If you are looking to take a trip further afield, there is plenty of choice. Within a 35 minute drive north is Ardmaddy Castle Gardens, situated on the beautiful Ardmaddy Estate. Ardmaddy offers an extensive range of gardens, perfect for a day trip visit from Loch Melfort. Beautiful vibrant colours are on display, such as candelabra primulas and rodgersias, as well as vast expanses of wild garlic.
You could also visit Oakbank, a half hour drive south, near Ardrishaig. Situated in three acres of woodland, with thriving rhododendrons and a vast selection of wild flowers, it contains some slightly more unique additions, with red squirrels, a treehouse and even a secret garden.
The Inner Hebrides offer some of the more remote gardens, with Colonsay boasting one of Scotland’s remotest gardens. With its own lighthouse and golf course, Colonsay has much to offer. Plants from the Southern Hemisphere have thrived there, including the beautiful red and pink flowers of the Red Damask, giving off beautiful summer colours to be enjoyed.
After a day exploring nature, relax on our terrace with an ice-cream or a cool drink, taking in the local flora and the stunning views. With locally sourced and foraged items in many dishes on our restaurant menu, you can also literally get a taste of nature in summer. Highly recommended!