See rhododendron shrubs at their best

The Scottish Rhododendron Festival is returning for its fourth year.

Gardens and estates across the country, including four in the Stirling area, are taking part in the colourful garden festival from Sunday until May 31.

Ardvorlich, Lochearnhead, is a hill garden featuring over 170 varieties of rhododendrons and many hybrids.

Dun Dubh, Kinlochard Road, Aberfoyle, is a late Victorian garden set on a series of terraces running down to Loch Ard. It holds over 300 Peter Cox rhododendrons.

Gargunnock House, Gargunnock, has a display of rhododendrons in the three acre walled garden, which also contains greenhouses and a new arboretum.

Pass House, Kilmahog, Callander, has steep banks down to a swift river containing displays of camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons, azaleas, alpines and shrubs.

Each will be hosting activities and rhododendron walks.

The annual festival is organised by Discover Scottish Gardens. The scheme aims to encourage visitors to enjoy the wonders of Scotland’s gardens during the rhododendron flowering period and highlight the diversity and plethora of rhododendron collections that can be found in Scotland.

The rhododendron is a huge family of around 1000 species. One type, Rhododendron ponticum, grows wild and is considered an invasive species.

Liz Buchanan of Visitscotland, said: “Now is the perfect time of year to get out and about to explore Stirling’s great outdoors and what better way than to visit the many stunning gardens and estates to see the rhododendrons in bloom.”