Garden festival is going ahead online

The Scottish Summer Garden Festival is going ahead as a virtual event as restricted travel continues amid lockdown.

But organisers have pledged to use digital technology to take people on virtual tours of beautiful gardens across the country on the internet instead.

The event will run until August 15.

Discover Scotland’s Gardens chairwoman Catherine Erskine wanted to ensure garden lovers do not miss out on the glory of the season in full bloom.

She said: “This was to be our first Summer Garden Festival, celebrating the exuberance of Scotland’s gardens in full bloom.

“We want people to enjoy the wonders of Scottish gardens from the comfort of their own homes.

“The festival is about anything and everything that happens in gardens, not just the practical or aesthetic elements, and this way all that is fully accessible.”

Dozens of gardens across the country will be taking part, including the Fyvie Castle gardens in Aberdeenshire.

The anniversary of the restoration of the Walled Gardens at Gordon Castle in Fochabers, following a reimagining by renowned landscape designer Arne Maynard, falls during the festival on July 4.

On August 15 and 16, owner Zara Gordon-Lennox will be broadcasting from the cutting beds where flowers sold in the estate shop are grown.

A full list of events in the Scottish Summer Garden Festival is available by visiting discoverscottishgardens. org/summer garden festival