Nestling on the shores of Loch Ewe, Inverewe Garden and Estate with its coastline of over five miles, is in the care of Scotland’s leading conservation charity, the National Trust for Scotland. Inverewe Garden now has designated Port Authority status.

 

The work the Trust is doing here at the most northerly of its heritage garden to keeps it alive and evolving is following in the tradition of its founder Osgood Mackenzie (1842-1922) who created this lochside garden over 150 years ago amid a barren wilderness on the Atlantic coast in the North West Highlands. He had the great vision to establish a shelterbelt ring of trees in the garden covering a total of 100 acres and these trees protect the garden from the severe Highland gales that this part of the world receives in the winter. The shelterbelt needs new trees constantly growing to replace natures natural maturity and the trees lost due to storms – an ongoing part of the care of the Garden by the Trust.

Rare species thrive in this heritage garden as the effects of the Gulf Stream meet the Highlands. Explore the garden of experimentation and wonder at the calendar of colour and scents, cultivated with care … and a hefty dose of creativity. It’s astonishing what you can grow in one of the most northerly corners of Scotland when you put your mind to it! Meandering through the garden on this remote stretch of coastline is a paradise of unusual and wonderful plants, where the unexpected greets you at every corner.

Explore the impossible garden at Inverewe! This place of amazing plant diversity is on the same latitude as Moscow and Hudson Bay and benefits from a unique garden microclimate thanks to the effects of the Gulf Stream.

From bare rock, a luscious garden grew and its where you can expect the unexpected. Plants from across the globe thrive here, including rare Wollemi pines, Californian redwoods, aeonium, erythronium and a fantastic variety of rhododendrons from China, Nepal and India. We have a rhododendron in flower every day of the year!

 

Inverewe celebrates the best of human achievements in the natural environment – it’s a labour of love and enduring commitment and a feast for your senses.

Spot Scotland’s Big 5 in wildlife: red squirrel, red deer, otter, seal and golden eagle. You may even see a big 6th – the sea eagle! Inverewe has a diverse range of habitats, ranging from the sea, coastline, forest and hill to the sky. We’re thrilled that each of Scotland’s Big 5 has made their home here! Inverewe enjoys a glorious location beside the sea in a designated Marine Protected Area. We have a resident harbour seal colony on the estate. (Gaelic name: ròn calaidh / ròn cumanta (common seal).and harbour seals can live for up to 25 years in the wild. The seals live in sheltered waters, mostly inshore.

This is a setting that inspires art and creativity. At its heart is Inverewe House, a museum with a twist, and its adjacent Sawyer Gallery, which hosts exhibitions that reflect the characteristics of the garden and surrounding environment.

Inverewe’s Underwater Garden: The sea around Inverewe is a special place for marine wildlife and its nationally important seabed habitats includes maerl beds – Scotland’s coral reef. An exhibition in the Summerhouse gives visitors the chance to find out more about the amazing marine wildlife around Inverewe, above, on and below the sea.

Experience a true Highland welcome at our newly refurbished Welcome Centre. This local tourist hub is a popular attraction and a great ‘pitstop’ on the North Coast 500 route, which passes through many remote areas. The Welcome Centre includes a tourist information desk, free toilets and our boutique shop, which offers many bespoke gifts. Enjoy the unique items sourced from local suppliers and embellished with designs inspired by the garden plants at Inverewe. Some of our favourites are the beautiful hand-crafted ceramic mugs, Scottish jewellery and delicious local produce.

Whatever the weather, you’ll always receive a warm welcome here!