Hidden Scotland
Sign in
The main lawn at Mertoun Gardens in early summer, with tall conifers behind and azaleas in flower along the border.
Scottish Borders

Mertoun Gardens

Twenty-six acres of gardens round Mertoun House by the Tweed near St Boswells, cared for by a charitable trust since 1984.

Visit websiteCall
Welcome

There's something special about an old country garden on a summer afternoon, and Mertoun is a lovely one to wander.

Many of its old trees are thought to date from when Sir William Bruce built the mansion in the early 1700s. Grass walks lead you across an open lawn, past borders of azaleas and shrub roses and on into an arboretum of conifers and hardwoods, with views over the river and bridges across the Maidenhall Burn. The walled garden covers about three acres of south-facing slope, full of fruit trees, vegetables and flowers, with Old Mertoun House of 1677 inside its walls. Look out, too, for the round sixteenth-century dovecot, which may well be the oldest in the county.

A short drive awayWallace StatueA 31-foot red sandstone statue of William Wallace, set up in 1814 on a wooded hillside above the Tweed near Dryburgh.5 min by roadSee itThe giant red sandstone statue of William Wallace with sword and shield on a tall plinth against a blue sky.
Before you go

Entry is by ticket, bought online.

Open
Reopens on 1 April. 1 April to 30 September, Friday to Monday, 2pm to 6pm, last entry 5.30pm, or by appointment.
Tickets
Show the QR code or your booking reference when you arrive.
Getting in
Turn off the B6404 at the Magdalenehall junction and follow the signs to the free car park beside the walled garden.
Dogs
No dogs, please.
Please note
Mertoun House is private, and the kirk in the grounds opens only for services. Please keep out of the greenhouses.

Been here? Tell others what you know, and the best go on this page with your name.

Add your review
Where it is

Mertoun, off the B6404 2 miles north-east of St Boswells.

Close bySt Boswells, Dryburgh and the Tweed.
  1. The Mainstreet Trading CompanyThe Mainstreet Trading CompanyA bookshop, cafe, deli and homeware shop in a former auction house at St Boswells, with author events through the year.2 miles 5 min by road
  2. Dryburgh AbbeyDryburgh AbbeyA remarkably complete medieval ruin by the Tweed, with some of the best Gothic church architecture in Scotland and the grave of Sir Walter Scott.3 miles 6 min by road
  3. Scott’s ViewScott’s ViewSir Walter Scott's favourite view, from Bemersyde Hill over the Tweed valley to the three peaks of the Eildon Hills.3 miles 8 min by road
  4. Stone tower of Smailholm Tower rises above ruined walls and rolling Borders hillsSmailholm TowerA remarkably complete 15th-century tower house on a crag near Kelso, home to Walter Scott's ancestors, with wide views over the Borders.4 miles 9 min by road
  5. Leaderfoot ViaductLeaderfoot ViaductA soaring nineteen-arch railway viaduct of 1865 over the Tweed near Melrose, 130 feet high and restored in the 1990s.5 miles 11 min by road
  6. The River Teviot seen from Monteviot Gardens, framed by red and orange azaleas and green trees in early summer.Monteviot GardensGardens round Monteviot House near Jedburgh, the home of the Kerr family and the Marquis of Lothian for almost four centuries.9 miles 15 min by road
  7. Thatched cottage with box hedges and blue poppies in a gardenMellerstain HouseA Robert Adam house near Kelso, open for guided tours from May to September, with gardens, parkland walks and a courtyard cafe.9 miles 15 min by road
Directions
The giant red sandstone statue of William Wallace with sword and shield on a tall plinth against a blue sky.AttractionsWallace Statue2.0 miles
Empty bar stools face shelves of spirits behind a panelled counterRestaurantsBuccleuch Arms2.4 miles
Stone tower on a hilltop overlooking patchwork farmland and woodlandAttractionsWaterloo Monument6.5 miles
Inside the Trimontium Museum: Roman cavalry armour, helmets, a painted shield and a silver face-mask helmet in dark cases lit red.AttractionsTrimontium Museum6.7 miles
Burts Hotel in Melrose, a white-painted 18th-century inn with black window surrounds and red window boxes.RestaurantsBurts Hotel6.7 miles
Gothic tracery and pinnacles of the ruined abbey against a cloudy skyAttractionsMelrose Abbey6.8 miles
Gravel path between flowerbeds leads to a wooden door in a stone wallAttractionsHarmony Garden6.8 miles
The white lattice deck of the Chain Bridge hanging across the River Tweed from its stone tower, with a heron in the shallows below.AttractionsThe Chain Bridge6.8 miles
The Rhymer's Stone, a small upright memorial stone on a cobbled base in front of bushes.AttractionsRhymer’s Stone6.9 miles

Recommend to a friend

The Daily for 24 October, from Scotland with love. a stone arch bridge crossing a rushing gorge below a moss-covered cliffside building, autumn trees on both banks

The Daily

Arrives at 5am every day.

A free morning email to see what’s on this week, catch up on what’s happening in Scotland and find somewhere new to go.

Stay nearby

Places to stay near the gardens, and when each is next free.

The House in the Hill at dusk, its turf roof over walls of local stone and glass, a bedroom lit inside and the hot tub at the corner.The House in the Hill
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Jedburgh
  • 11 miles from Mertoun Gardens
Free 29–31 OctA grey stone farmhouse with several chimneys stands against rolling hills, a wildflower meadow in the foreground.The Scullery
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Yarrow
  • 17 miles from Mertoun Gardens
Free 13–15 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay in the Scottish BordersAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
Hidden Scotland, the magazine

Scotland, in print.

We want to show you the best that Scotland has to offer. The makers and the creatives, the enduring experiences, the evocative tales, the concealed corners. The roads less travelled that take you to places that matter. The adventures that gather you up and sweep you away. The blend of the wild and the artistic that makes Scotland what it is. We’d love for you to join us.

Get Issue 13Read it here
Find out more

For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on .